During a press conference in Dar es Salaam yesterday, the lender disseminated its 10 most recent international awards it has won due to its role in boosting the delivery of financial services to individuals and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
Chief Executive Officer Ruth Zaipuna, who personally bagged two of the recent awards termed the international recognitions as of utmost significance at the corporate, sectoral and national levels.
“These 18 awards have introduced NMB to the global banking arena and in doing so they have equally exposed the sector and the country internationally,” she explained.
The 10 international accolades include those from World Economic Magazine and the Global Brands Magazine.
The two global publications have also honored NMB as Best Retail Bank and Best Bank in Tanzania 2022 respectively. The other awards include: Best Retail Bank from International Business Magazine as well as Best Innovation in Retail Banking in Tanzania and Best Private Bank in Tanzania from International Banker Awards.
The list also include: Best Agri-Business Bank from Global Brands Magazine, Platinum Winner Sustainable Bond of the Year from Global Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) Finance Forum Awards and Best Retail Bank from Global Banking & Finance Review.
“These and the other awards that have made 2022 a very successful year for us recognises NMB as the leading bank in terms of efficiency, innovation and quality products and banking services and our contribution to the advancement of the banking sector in Tanzania,” Ms Zaipuna said.
“The 18 awards equally appreciate our contribution to the socio-economic development of the country as well as the qualitative soundness of our digital systems. Most importantly, is the sustainable contribution of NMB Bank to the economic progress of our nation,” she added.
The national awards include three at the 2022 Tax Payers” Awards of the Tanzania Revenue Authority whereby it emerged tops by winning the Overall National Most Compliant Tax Payer Award. NMB also scooped the Most Complaint Taxpayer Award in the banking sector and was Third Winner: Outstanding Tax Contribution 2021/2022.
It also won the African Business Leadership Commendation Award 2022 by The Africa Summit and African’s Banking CEO of the Year 2022 (Tanzania) from Africa Bank 4.0 Awards. It has also been honored as Africa’s First Bank to Earn an EDGE Certificate for Gender Equality, took home the Honorary Fellowship Award by the Tanzania Institute of Bankers and won Bank CEO of the Year by Financial Women Awards.
Ms Zaipuna said being recognised locally and appreciated in international banking and financial circles proves the trust and respect NMB commands in the market in terms of its management and adherence to principle of good governance.
“This year we had set out to open one million new accounts but so far 1,012,344 have been opened meaning over 3,134 new accounts are being opened every day,” she explained when emphasizing the trust people have on the lender.
Speaking before receiving the new awards, NMB board member Benson Mahenya said the bank has every reason to bask in glory for the awards have been deservedly won by hard work from the top management to ordinary members of staff.
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Air Tanzania Banned From EU Airspace Due to Safety Concerns
Several airports have since locked Air Tanzania, dealing a severe blow to the Tanzanian national carrier that must now work overtime to regain its certification or go the wet lease way
The European Commission has announced the inclusion of Air Tanzania on the EU Air Safety List, effectively banning the airline from operating in European airspace.
The decision, made public on December 16, 2024, is based on safety concerns identified by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which also led to the denial of Air Tanzania’s application for a Third Country Operator (TCO) authorisation.
The Commission did not go into the specifics of the safety infringement but industry experts suggest it is possible that the airline could have flown its Airbus A220 well past its scheduled major checks, thus violating the airworthiness directives.
“The decision to include Air Tanzania in the EU Air Safety List underscores our unwavering commitment to ensuring the highest safety standards for passengers in Europe and worldwide,” said Apostolos Tzitzikostas, EU Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism.
“We strongly urge Air Tanzania to take swift and decisive action to address these safety issues. I have offered the Commission’s assistance to the Tanzanian authorities in enhancing Air Tanzania’s safety performance and achieving full compliance with international aviation standards.”
Air Tanzania has a mixed fleet of modern aircraft types including Boeing 787s, 737 Max jets, and Airbus A220s.
It has been flying the B787 Dreamliner to European destinations like Frankfurt in Germany and Athens in Greece and was looking to add London to its growing list with the A220.
But the ban not only scuppers the London dream but also has seen immediate ripple effect, with several airports – including regional like Kigali and continental – locking out Air Tanzania.
Tanzania operates KLM alongside the national carrier.
The European Commission said Air Tanzania may be permitted to exercise traffic rights by using wet-leased aircraft of an air carrier which is not subject to an operating ban, provided that the relevant safety standards are complied with.
A wet lease is where an airline pays to use an aircraft with a crew, fuel, and insurance all provided by the leasing company at a fee.
Two more to the list
The EU Air Safety List, maintained to ensure passenger safety, is updated periodically based on recommendations from the EU Air Safety Committee.
The latest revision, which followed a meeting of aviation safety experts in Brussels from November 19 to 21, 2024, now includes 129 airlines.
Of these, 100 are certified in 15 states where aviation oversight is deemed insufficient, and 29 are individual airlines with significant safety deficiencies.
Alongside Air Tanzania, other banned carriers include Air Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe), Avior Airlines (Venezuela), and Iran Aseman Airlines (Iran).
Commenting on the broader implications of the list, Tzitzikostas stated, “Our priority remains the safety of every traveler who relies on air transport. We urge all affected airlines to take these bans seriously and work collaboratively with international bodies to resolve the identified issues.”
In a positive development, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has been cleared to resume operations in the EU following a four-year suspension. The ban, which began in 2020, was lifted after substantial improvements in safety performance and oversight by PIA and the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA).
“Since the TCO Authorisation was suspended, PIA and PCAA have made remarkable progress in enhancing safety standards,” noted Tzitzikostas. “This demonstrates that safety issues can be resolved through determination and cooperation.”
Another Pakistani airline, Airblue Limited, has also received EASA’s TCO authorisation.
Decisions to include or exclude airlines from the EU Air Safety List are based on rigorous evaluations of international safety standards, particularly those established by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
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The process involves thorough review and consultation among EU Member State aviation safety experts, with oversight from the European Commission and support from EASA.
“Where an airline currently on the list believes it complies with the required safety standards, it can request a reassessment,” explained Tzitzikostas. “Our goal is not to penalize but to ensure safety compliance globally.”
Airlines listed on the EU Air Safety List face significant challenges to their international operations, as the bans highlight shortcomings in safety oversight by their home regulatory authorities.
For Air Tanzania, this inclusion signals an urgent need for reform within Tanzania’s aviation sector to address these deficiencies and align with global standards.
The path forward will require immediate and sustained efforts to rectify safety concerns and regain access to one of the world’s most critical aviation markets.
Source: allafrica.com
