By Tony Obiechina, Abuja
For his sustained commitment to Islamic banking best practices and people-oriented strategies in deepening non-interest products and services at the grassroots, the Global Islamic Finance Awards (GIFA) organisation has conferred the ‘Islamic Banker of the Year Award 2026’ on the Founder/Managing Director of TAJBank Limited, Mr. Hamid Joda, at the organisation’s 16th annual awards ceremony held in the United Kingdom.
This is even as the GIFA group, the most renowned global organization promoting social responsibility, Shari’a authenticity, and commitment to Islamic banking and finance, also honoured TAJBank Limited with the GIFA Championship Award (Digital Banking) 2026 at the event.
The GIFA Chairman, Prof. Humayon Dar, in a pre-event email sent to the TAJBank’s Managing Director, stated the awards for him and the bank were conferred on them after the GIFA Committee had “considered a number of distinguished nominees in these categories and, after careful deliberation, decided in favour of TAJBank and Yourself based on various factors outlined in the GIFA Methodology.”
Conferring the ‘Banker of the Year Award 2026’ on Mr. Joda, who was represented at the ceremony by TAJBank’s Chief Compliance Officer (CCO), Dr. Muhammad Kabir Muhammad, the Founding CEO of Fajr Capital; Pioneer CEO of HSBC Amanah and a member of the GIFA committee, Dato’ Iqbal Khan, expressed the organisation’s delight in honouring the banker with the award.
Similarly, Iqbal Khan, described the award to TAJBank as well deserved given the parameters set for such awards in the GIFA Methodology.
Commenting on global recognition of his contributions to the global Islamic Banking system, particularly to Nigeria’s through innovative leadership of the TAJBank’s management team, Joda said the awards to him and TAJBank represented a call for “a renewed commitment to Islamic banking practices in the country as we continue to leverage our innovative products and services delivery strategies to ensure that more Nigerians benefit from TAJBank’s offerings on a sustainable basis in the years ahead.
“Let me say that the Global Islamic Banker Of the Year 2026 award is conferred on me but the commendation goes to our Board of Directors, the management and staff of TAJBank as well as our customers, who are creating the enabling environment for my performance. I thank the GIFA Committee for honouring me and TAJBank with the global awards.”
“I want to also thank the regulatory authorities, our shareholders and customers for these awards and promise them that we shall continue to do our best to retain TAJBank as the biggest Islamic Bank in the country by complying with the best ethical banking practices in their best interest, which is the main purpose of our operations”, Joda assured.
Joda, a top banker and Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), has over 26 years of banking experience spanning the broad spectrum of deposit and Islamic banking operations.
In recognition of his professional competencies, many rating organisations have conferred him honours, including the ‘Most Promising Banker of the Year Award by GIFA at its 13th Award 2023 ceremony in Dakar, Senegal; and the 2023 ‘Islamic Personality of the Year Award’ at the 6th African International Conference of Islamic Finance held the same year in Abuja, Nigeria; among others.
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