Ishola Receives Prestigious Distinguished Sustainability Innovator Award

Kasim Sumaina in Abuja

In a landmark achievement for sustainable finance in Africa, Akinwale Ishola has been honored with the Distinguished Sustainability Innovator Award in African Mortgage Banking Excellence at the 2021 Nigeria Housing Awards (NHA).

This prestigious recognition, presented by the Africa International Housing Show in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, celebrated Ishola’s groundbreaking contributions to sustainable mortgage banking practices across the continent.

The award was presented at the grand ceremony of the Nigeria Housing Awards on December 8, 2021, widely acknowledged as Africa’s most prestigious housing sector recognition program.

Ishola emerged victorious after a highly competitive voting process involving over 100 candidates from across Africa.

Industry experts, government officials, and key stakeholders in Africa’s housing sector participated in this democratic selection, which saw Ishola received the highest number of votes—a clear endorsement of his exceptional innovations in sustainable mortgage banking.

Isjola said: “This recognition represents a significant milestone not just for me, but for the advancement of sustainable housing finance across Africa,

“By aligning financial innovations with environmental stewardship, we can create lasting positive impacts for communities while addressing critical housing challenges.”

The Founder and CEO of the Africa International Housing Show, Festus Adebayo, emphasised the significance of Ishola’s achievement during the award presentation.

He noted: “With so many strong candidates for this award, the overwhelming support you received in the voting process shows how far ahead you are. Your ideas are reshaping housing finance across the whole continent.”
The Nigeria Housing Awards has a distinguished history of recognising exceptional talent and innovation through its transparent voting structure.

Past recipients who have secured similar widespread voter support included; Babatunde Fashola, former Minister of Works and Housing; Ahmed Dangiwa, current Minister of Housing and Urban Development; Femi Adewole, CEO of Family Homes Fund; Hakeem Ogunniran, former CEO of UPDC and founder of Eximia Realty; Governor Ahmad Aliyu of Sokoto State; Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State, and many notable individuals.

Ishola joined this illustrious group of changemakers whose work has transformed their respective fields and contributed significantly to Africa’s development agenda.

The voting body recognized Ishola primarily for transforming mortgage banking through his introduction of green mortgage options, energy-efficient housing loans, and climate-conscious lending practices that have redefined industry standards.

Voters particularly noted his work in catalyzing green building adoption by driving industry-wide acceptance of energy-efficient housing through the development of green standards specifically adapted for African contexts, balancing environmental considerations with affordability.
The Africa International Housing Show/HDAN, organizer of the Nigeria Housing Awards, stands as the continent’s premier housing and construction event.

Endorsed by the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development of Nigeria and supported by international organizations including UN-Habitat and the World Bank, it brings together policymakers, industry leaders, and innovators to advance sustainable housing solutions across Africa.
The annual Nigeria Housing Awards are distinct for their transparent and democratic voting process, which ensures that recognition truly reflects industry-wide acknowledgment of excellence.

Voters evaluate nominees on innovation, impact, and sustainability, with recipients acknowledged for creating transformative solutions to the continent’s most pressing housing challenges.