Absa Bank Kenya has been declared the overall winner of the 2025 Financial Reporting (FiRe) Award, the most prestigious recognition for financial reporting in East Africa. In addition, Absa was named the overall winner for Kenya in the regional awards.

Competing against more than 1,000 companies, the Bank emerged as the overall winner in the private sector category, reaffirming Absa’s leadership in advancing accountability, transparency, and integrity in integrated reporting. 

This achievement further demonstrates the Bank’s commitment to excellence and stewardship in compliance with the latest International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), as well as its strong disclosures on governance, social, and environmental reporting.

At the FiRe Awards dinner held on Friday, Absa distinguished itself by winning six trophies across multiple categories, a testament to the dedication and expertise of its teams. The awards include:

• Champion and Winner – Financial Report Award (Bank Category)
• Champion and Winner – Financial Report Award (Listed Companies Category)
• 1st Runners-Up – Early Adopters (IFRS S1 & S2) Category
• 2nd Runners-Up – Governance Category
• Overall FiRe Award Winner – Kenya
• Overall Winner – FiRe Awards 2025 (Private Sector Category)

Absa Bank Kenya Chief Financial Officer Yusuf Omari said: “Winning the overall FiRe Award 2025 reflects our collective commitment to accountability, transparency, and integrity in financial reporting.

He added: “The numerous recognitions reflect our steadfast commitment and purposeful efforts to continually elevate financial reporting in line with evolving global frameworks. Beyond meeting international best practices and local standards, we remain dedicated to fostering greater transparency in our disclosures, ensuring that the interests of all stakeholders are consistently served with integrity and clarity.”

The FiRe award is held annually by the joint promoters; Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Kenya (ICPAK), Capital Markets Authority (CMA) Kenya, Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE), Public Sector Accounting Standards Board-Kenya (PSASB), and the Retirement Benefits Authority (RBA). 

The Award is aimed at promoting quality reporting through enhancing accountability, transparency and integrity in compliance with appropriate financial reporting frameworks and other disclosures on governance, social and environmental reporting by private, public and other entities domiciled in East Africa. 

Alongside the FiRe Awards, Absa Bank Kenya was last week named Bank of the Year – Kenya at the 2025 Banker Awards, securing one of the most competitive honours on the continent. In addition, the Bank’s CFO was recently honoured with the Compliance & Governance Award at the 2025 CFO Awards, one of East Africa’s most respected platforms recognising excellence in finance leadership.