Ecobank, whose official name is Ecobank Transnational Inc. (ETI), is a pan-African banking conglomerate, with banking operations in 33 African countries. It is the leading independent regional banking group in West Africa and Central Africa, serving wholesale and retail customers. It also maintains subsidiaries in Eastern and Southern Africa. ETI has an affiliate in France, and representative offices in China, Dubai, South Africa, and the United Kingdom.
History
Ecobank was founded in 1985 to address the financial needs of West African entrepreneurs. The initiative originated from the Federation of West African Chambers of Commerce, aiming to establish a private regional banking institution. Key figures Gervais Koffi Djondo and Adeyemi Lawson played a crucial role in realizing this vision, which was first discussed in Mali in 1972.[7]
Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI) was incorporated with an authorized capital of $100 million, with an initial paid-up capital of $32 million from over 1,500 investors across West Africa. The ECOWAS Fund for Cooperation, Compensation and Development became its largest shareholder, reinforcing its regional mission.[7]