Vivien Shobo Recognized As Icon of the Year at 2020 African Banker Awards

The African Banker Awards has recognized Nigeria’s Vivien Shobo as winner of the African Banker Icon Award 2020, in acknowledgement of her outstanding work and exemplary career during her tenure as Chief Executive Officer of Nigeria’s foremost credit rating agency, Agusto & Co.

Vivien Shobo was recognized for playing an important pioneering role in helping to transform the debt capital market in Nigeria and beyond; which has facilitated multibillion naira transactions and enabled companies to grow and thrive. In addition, the Award Committee acknowledged her part in contributing to the development of world class organization that competes effectively with global competition. According to the African Bankers Awards committee, “The impact of her work is beyond measure and we are proud to have an African Champion that has been able to play such an important role and compete with and out-do global competitors with larger resources.”

Agusto & Co recorded several milestones during Vivien’s tenure, including rating the largest Municipal Bond programme and single largest tranche issuance - Lagos State Government’s ₦500 billion Bond programme and ₦87.5 billion Bond issuance, rating Nigeria’s first 15-year corporate green bond, as well as issued first ratings to the first bond issued by a deposit money bank in Nigeria, the First Bond issuance by an insurance company, and rating the first commercial paper issuance under the new guidelines of FMDQ. In addition, to being the pioneer domestic rating agency to many of Nigeria’s large corporates.

Vivien Shobo also led the firm’s African expansion initiatives by obtaining Credit Rating Agency licenses from the Capital Market Authorities of Kenya and Rwanda.

Commenting on the award, Vivien Shobo remarked that the recognition is an honor and source of encouragement to African women leaders in various sectors. “Winning African Banker Icon Award 2020 is truly an honor. I am particularly excited that our commitment and contributions to the development of Debt Capital markets over the years is being recognized and rewarded. I urge all women leaders especially those in the financial services to be inspired by this win as this is award for all of us. I thank my colleagues at Agusto & Co for all their solidarity.”

The African Bankers Award recognizes personalities and banks that are driving Africa’s rapidly transforming financial sector, and celebrates the achievements of those who are driving growth and development and creating new economic opportunities for citizens and communities all over the continent and inspire new generations of bankers who are shaping Africa’s future.

The African Banker Icon category is awarded to person for their helping transform the financial services sector but who is not necessarily within banking. Previous winners include: Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Adebayo Ogunlesi, one of Wall Street’s most eminent financiers, Tidjame Thiam and Eleni Gabre-Madhin, founder of the Ethiopian Commodities Exchange and many African luminaries.