Dahabshil Bank International wins Excellence in Mobile Banking and Customer-Centric Banking at the Moneyaura Africa 2025 Awards in Nairobi
NAIROBI — Dahabshil Bank International, one of the Horn of Africa’s most influential financial institutions, claimed two major honors at the Moneyaura Africa 2025 Awards on Thursday, securing its status as a rising regional leader in digital and customer-focused banking.
At a ceremony marked by chandeliers, camera flashes, and standing ovations inside Nairobi’s Safari Park Hotel, the Somali-owned bank was awarded Excellence in Mobile Banking and Excellence in Customer-Centric Banking — distinctions that organizers described as recognition for “innovation that directly improves the way Africans save, transact, and access opportunity.”
The awards, presented in front of senior executives from global banks, fintech innovators, and digital payment giants, spotlighted institutions driving transformation across a rapidly modernizing continent.
A Double Win with Regional Significance
Receiving the honors on behalf of the bank, Vice Chairman Abdirahman Mohamed Said Duale said the recognition reflected the company’s long-term commitment to expanding quality financial services across underserved regions.
“These awards reaffirm our belief that banking should empower people, not exclude them,” Duale said in his remarks.
“We will continue investing in technology and in our customers — the communities that built us.”
Dahabshil Bank International, part of the wider Dahabshiil Group, has spent recent years scaling its digital tools, mobile money platforms, and diaspora-linked services to meet rising demand across Somaliland, Somalia, Ethiopia, and diaspora markets in the Gulf, Europe, and North America.
Industry observers say the bank’s acceleration has come at a pivotal moment, as African consumers increasingly shift toward mobile-first financial ecosystems.
“Dahabshil Bank’s mobile banking performance has become a benchmark for institutions operating in frontier markets,” said fintech analyst Sarah Kibet, who attended the gala.
“What makes this win stand out is their ability to design solutions that work for nomadic communities, urban professionals, and diaspora families all at once.”
A Growing Continental Footprint
The Moneyaura Awards — now one of the continent’s most visible finance and fintech events — highlight African banks and digital providers demonstrating excellence in innovation, customer experience, and financial inclusion.
Organizers said Dahabshil Bank International was evaluated on criteria ranging from service accessibility to digital security, user satisfaction, customer success metrics, and product adaptability in complex environments.
The double victory adds to the bank’s expanding portfolio of regional accolades and reinforces its ambition to become one of Africa’s leading customer-centered banks.
Across its branches, the company has rolled out biometric ID verification, instant cross-border payments, microfinance tools for small businesses, and multilingual digital support channels — services that customers say have transformed daily financial life.
“Whether you’re checking your balance in Hargeisa or sending money from London, it just works,” said Hussein Abdillahi, a Somali-British entrepreneur who banks with the institution.
“They’re not just keeping up — they’re ahead.”
A Moment of Momentum
In a region where traditional banking access remains limited, Dahabshil Bank International’s rise has been closely watched by competitors and development economists alike. The bank’s emphasis on digital accessibility and customer experience, analysts say, mirrors a broader continental shift toward user-driven financial services.
Duale said the awards would serve as motivation to deepen investment in technology and expand the bank’s reach.
“Our customers trust us with their livelihoods,” he said. “We owe them nothing less than excellence.”
As the Nairobi gala concluded, with winners posing for group photographs beneath giant LED displays, the message was clear: Dahabshil Bank International is no longer just a regional success story. It is becoming a continental one.
