Co-op Bank and Ziidi Trader Earn Continental Recognition for Expanding Financial Access

Recognition for Co-operative Bank of Kenya and the M-Pesa-powered investment platform Ziidi Trader at this year’s African Banker Awards has drawn attention to a broader development in African finance. Financial institutions are increasingly being evaluated on how effectively they bring businesses and individuals into formal economic activity, whether through access to credit or participation in investment markets.

The awards, presented during the 20th edition of the African Banker Awards held alongside the African Development Bank annual meetings in Brazzaville, recognised two Kenyan institutions operating at different ends of the financial system. Co-operative Bank of Kenya received the SME Bank of the Year award, while Ziidi Trader, developed through a partnership between Safaricom and the Nairobi Securities Exchange, was named Fintech of the Year.

Taken together, the awards point to a widening definition of financial inclusion in Africa. The conversation is no longer limited to opening accounts or enabling digital payments. Increasing attention is being placed on whether entrepreneurs can obtain financing, whether businesses can expand and whether ordinary citizens can participate in wealth-building opportunities.

Two Paths Into the Financial System

The recognition of Co-operative Bank and Ziidi Trader reflects two distinct approaches to broadening economic participation.

One focuses on enterprise. The other focuses on investment.

For decades, small and medium-sized enterprises have formed the backbone of employment across many African economies while facing persistent challenges in accessing formal financing. At the same time, stock market participation has remained concentrated among a relatively small segment of the population despite rapid growth in mobile financial services.

The winners recognised in Brazzaville address those gaps from opposite directions. One seeks to channel capital into businesses. The other aims to lower barriers that have traditionally limited access to investment markets.

The Business Case Behind SME Banking

Co-operative Bank’s recognition arrives after a year of continued growth in both earnings and lending activity.

For the year ended December 2025, the lender reported net profit of Sh29.75 billion, representing growth of 16.9 per cent, while loans and advances rose to Sh421 billion. The figures provide a backdrop to the bank’s continued emphasis on lending to micro, small and medium-sized enterprises.

The significance of the award extends beyond a single institution. Across the continent, policymakers, development financiers and commercial banks have increasingly identified SME financing as a critical component of economic expansion. Smaller businesses account for a substantial share of employment but frequently struggle to secure affordable credit, particularly during periods of economic uncertainty.

Recognition for banks serving this segment reflects a growing expectation that financial institutions contribute to productive economic activity rather than focusing solely on large corporate borrowers.

The award also follows other recent continental recognition for Co-operative Bank’s SME-focused operations, reinforcing the prominence of business financing within the wider banking sector.

Mobile Money Moves Into Investing

While banks continue to expand lending, digital platforms are attempting to address another longstanding challenge: widening access to investment products.

Ziidi Trader’s recognition highlights a growing effort to connect mobile financial services with capital markets. By linking stock trading to the M-Pesa ecosystem, the platform seeks to simplify entry into investing for individuals who may never have previously engaged with the securities market.

That approach reflects a broader evolution within African fintech. Early innovation concentrated on payments, transfers and everyday transactions. Increasingly, attention is shifting toward savings, investment and asset ownership.

The objective is not simply to move money more efficiently but to create pathways through which more people can participate in formal financial markets.

Building Domestic Financial Capacity

The broader list of winners also underscored the importance of strengthening African financial institutions.

Ecobank was named Bank of the Year, while Serge Ekué, president of the West African Development Bank, received the African Banker of the Year award. Their recognition came amid growing discussion across the sector about domestic capital mobilisation, financial resilience and the ability of African institutions to support development priorities.

Those themes have become increasingly prominent as governments, lenders and investors seek local sources of financing for infrastructure, business growth and economic transformation.

A Broader Measure of Inclusion

What emerges from this year’s awards is a wider understanding of what inclusion means in practice.

Access remains important, but participation has become equally significant. Entrepreneurs require financing to grow businesses. Households need avenues to save and invest. Financial markets need mechanisms that allow a larger share of the population to take part.

The recognition of Co-operative Bank and Ziidi Trader placed those objectives side by side.

One institution was recognised for helping businesses obtain capital. The other was recognised for opening investment opportunities to a broader audience. Together, they illustrate how financial inclusion in Africa is increasingly being measured by the ability of people and enterprises to use financial systems as tools for growth, expansion and long-term wealth creation.

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