Joda, TAJBank Clinch GIFA 2026 Awards in London

The Global Islamic Finance Awards (GIFA) organisation has conferred the “Islamic Banker of the Year Award 2026” on  Hamid Joda, founder/managing director of TAJBank Limited, at its 16th annual awards ceremony in the United Kingdom.

GIFA also honoured TAJBank with the “GIFA Championship Award (Digital Banking) 2026” at the same event.

In a pre-event email to TAJBank’s managing director, GIFA chairman, Prof Humayon Dar said the awards were conferred “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.”

The Banker of the Year award was presented to Joda, who was represented by TAJBank’s chief compliance officer, Dr Muhammad Kabir Muhammad.

Dato’ Iqbal Khan, founding CEO of Fajr Capital, pioneer CEO of HSBC Amanah and a member of the GIFA committee, said the organisation was delighted to honour the banker and described the award to TAJBank as “well deserved given the parameters set for such awards in the GIFA Methodology.”

Commenting on the recognition, Joda said the awards 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,” Joda said. “I thank the GIFA Committee for honouring me and TAJBank with the global awards.”

He added: “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, a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), has more than 26 years of banking experience across deposit and Islamic banking operations. He has previously received honours including the “Most Promising Banker of the Year Award” by GIFA at its 13th ceremony in 2023 in Dakar, Senegal, and the 2023 “Islamic Personality of the Year Award” at the 6th African International Conference of Islamic Finance in Abuja.