Chief Dr. Doli-Wura Zakaria Awushi Abdul-Malik Seidu, Managing Director of National Investment Bank (NIB) PLC, has been named Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Year in Finance at the Ghana CEO Awards.
He was also conferred CEO of the Year in Transformational Leadership, in recognition of his strategic reforms and institutional turnaround at the state-owned bank.
The dual honours, conferred at the Ghana CEO Awards held in Accra, come amid a major turnaround at National Investment Bank PLC, which had faced financial distress for over seven years.
The recognition places Chief Dr. Zakaria among a select cadre of corporate leaders driving innovation and institutional resilience across Ghana’s banking sector.
The CEOs Award is an annual awards scheme designed to identify and publicly recognize the most outstanding Chief Executives in corporate Ghana across a wide spectrum of sectors.
Other eligible award winners included CEOs of both private and public sector corporations and institutions.
Chief Dr. Zakaria is a distinguished national and global icon with over two decades of experience in Governance, Public Financial Management, Revenue Mobilization for local and national governments as well as an astute entrepreneur.
With a wealth of knowledge and experience, Dr. Zakaria stands out as a trailblazer in Leadership, Conflict Resolution, Mediation, Audit, Monitoring and Decentralization.
He possesses experiences in Research, Training and Capacity Building, Networking, Lobbying, Resource Mobilization, and Inter-Faith Peace Building.
He is the current Chairperson of the African Union Interfaith Dialogue Forum (AU-IFDF) Steering Committee.
As an epitome of knowledge and wisdom, he strives to make a world of difference wherever he finds himself.
It is therefore not surprising that in less than six months he worked with the support of the Government, the Board, Management and Staff to turn around the fortunes of NIB PLC from a financially distressed Bank of over seven years.
Under the leadership of Dr. Zakaria, NIB has been fully recapitalized and its deposit mobilization is an all-time high of over GH₵ 7 billion.
The Bank has published its half year 2025 Financial Statements for the first time in several years; with staff morale high following sweeping reforms that have seen salary increment and a gradual reinstatement of working conditions.
The awards are a testament to his vast experience, a proven track-record and ability to transform financial systems, enhance revenue streams, and contribute to national development through innovative strategies and effective implementation.
Dr. Zakaria is described by several analysts as courageous and forthright. His spectacular leadership skills, results oriented and team player is an example personified.
The award is an impetus and a catalyst to further bolster his initiative drives that align with Ghana’s economic growth objectives and to position NIB as a leader in the development finance space.
Officials said that the theme of the award, “Mobilizing Domestic and International Tourists and Investors Through CEOS” could not have been chosen at a better time than now as government combs nooks and crannies to mobilize resources for national development.
The Board of Directors, Management and Staff of NIB in a statement copied to the Ghana News Agency on Tuesday warmly congratulated Chief Dr. Zakaria for these recognitions as CEO of the Year in Finance and CEO of the Year in Transformational Leadership.
“We are, indeed, proud of you as this transcends to all stakeholders of NIB PLC”. We look forward to a continued and sustained era of progress, innovation and pragmatic leadership in the days ahead,” it said.
Addressing the gathering, Chief Dr. Zakaria dedicated the awards to Management and staff of NIB PLC.