She was recognised for her leadership in the banking and finance industry in Nigeria, the United Kingdom and Ghana, as well as her contribution to the growth of the organisations she had managed.

The award is one of the numerous she has received in her over two years stay in Ghana, including the Most Outstanding Foreign Banking Executive Award by the Feminine Ghana Achievement Award and the UNESCO-endorsed Women Development Award.

In a statement issued on May 24 by the bank, Mrs Olaoye said she was committed to working hard to the growth of the Energy Commercial Bank, the Ghanaian economy and West Africa as a whole.

“I am passionate about the work I do. I believe that God has given us wisdom and knowledge to impact on our society, and I am, therefore, committed to delivering exceptional leadership wherever I go,” she emphasised.

Other winners

Other award winners were Henry Oroh, the Managing Director (MD)/CEO of Zenith Bank who was recognised as the Corporate Personality of the Year, West Africa, and Aretha Duku, the MD of Ghana Union Assurance, who won the Business Leader of the Year, West Africa, Insurance category.

Institutions such as Vodafone, GHACEM and Ecobank won awards as the Customer Experience Telecom of the Year, Cement Manufacturer of the Year and Digital Experience Bank of the Year respectively.

The West Africa Business Excellence Awards (WABEA) provides a platform to recognise individuals and companies that play a significant role in the development of various sectors in the West Africa region to attract investors.

The awards recognise the industry’s merits and set a benchmark for excellence, while rewarding innovative ideas that have pushed the boundaries of what is possible, as well as excellence in industries, sectors and individual/personality excellence.