For Second Year Running, UBA Group Emerges African Bank of the Year …Subsidiaries win Best Bank in Benin, Chad, Cote D’Ivoire, Gabon, Congo, Sierra Leone at The Bankers Awards

The Banker Magazine has once again selected leading African financial institution, United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc as the “African Bank of the Year 2019”.

This is the second time, UBA has clinched the prestigious award, having been named Best African Bank of 2017 by The Banker magazine. This year, UBA also won best bank category in 6 of its subsidiaries: UBA Benin, UBA Tchad, UBA Gabon, UBA Congo, UBA Cote D’Ivoire and UBA Sierra Leone.

The unprecedented win marks the first time ever in the history of the banker awards, that any one bank will be given as many as six wins including the grand regional award.

The awards ceremony took place at the Sheraton Grand, Park Lane in London at the weekend where UBA was represented by its CEO, UBA Africa, Mr. Victor Osadolor who received all seven awards on behalf of the bank.

John Everington, Middle East and Africa Editor for The Banker, said the aim of the award “is to highlight industry wide excellence within the global banking community. The winner is selected from participating banks in each of the countries from which entries are received for the competition.” 

CEO, UBA Africa, Mr Victor Osadolor(middle) with  the “African Bank of the Year 2019” won by United Bank for Africa(UBA) Group at The Bankers Awards held in London

UBA’s Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Kennedy Uzoka, who expressed delight over the recognition from The Banker stated “The recognitions come as a reassurance that we are on track in consolidating our leadership position in Africa, as we continue to create superior value for all our stakeholders,”

“UBA must be doing something right, and for us, these awards mark another milestone for the Group. It is a testament of the diligent execution of the bank’s strategic initiatives geared towards customer service. Being recognised as Africa’s best bank complements positive feedback from customers and is a recognition of our improving efficiencies, service quality and innovation. I therefore dedicate it to our growing loyal corporate and retail customers, who are our essence.” 

Uzoka dedicated the awards to the UBA’s customers, “whose loyalty, support and patronage have remained the source of the group’s growth and competitive edge in all the markets we operate.”

The CEO of UBA Africa, Victor Osadolor who received the awards, added: “UBA group will continue to innovate and lead in all our business segments, whilst delivering top-notch operational efficiencies and best-in-class customer service. We are beginning to realise early gains from our ongoing transformation programme and I am excited about the days ahead.” 

The Banker Magazine is a publication of the Financial Times – a leading global finance news publication which has been in existence since 1888. The Banker magazine is the definitive reference in international banking for high level decision makers globally. 

The “Bank of the Year Awards” are widely regarded as the Oscars of the Banking Industry.  For over 90 years, The Banker has been the world’s leading monthly journal for the banking industry.

United Bank for Africa Plc (UBA) is a leading pan-African financial services group with presence in 20 African countries, as well as the United Kingdom, the United States of America and France.

UBA was incorporated in Nigeria as a limited liability company after taking over the assets of the British and French Bank Limited who had been operating in Nigeria since 1949. The United Bank for Africa merged with Standard Trust Bank in 2005 and from a single country operation founded in 1949 in Nigeria – Africa’s largest economy- UBA has become one of the top providers of banking and other financial services on the African continent. The bank provides services to about 15 million customers globally, through one of the most diverse service channels in sub-Saharan Africa with over 1000 branches and customer centres and a robust online and mobile banking platform.

UBA was the first Nigerian bank to make an Initial Public Offering (IPO), following its listing on the NSE in1970. It was also the first Nigerian bank to issue Global Depository Receipts (GDRs). The shares of UBA are publicly traded on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) and the bank has a well-diversified shareholder base which includes foreign and local institutional investors, as well as individual shareholders.