UBA GMD, Oliver Alawuba,
By Richard Otega Enyeh
The Group Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer of the United Bank for Africa Plc (UBA), Mr. Oliver Alawuba, on Monday, said that the bank remains committed to improving and facilitating intra-Africa trade, adding that the $6 billion it pledged for that purpose would be used to finance it and as well as support from Development Finance Institutions (DFIs).
“On infrastructure gap in Africa, I can tell you from agriculture, roads, ports and telecoms, power the infrastructure gap is a lot. But that lies the opportunity we have in Africa. So, UBA has been in countries where we are present, we support the key sectors that are driving the economy of those countries.
“So, we are committed to developing Africa. We are committed to supporting the key sectors that are pushing African economies. And it is showing even in our performances and our businesses. If you look at our accounts and performance, you will see that our performance has continued to improve, reflecting clearly what we are doing.
“Today, the deposit position of UBA is about N18 trillion, today our shareholders’ fund is N2 trillion, today you would see that our customer base is moving up to 45 million customers across Africa and these are growing on a daily basis.
“We don’t just support these businesses; we support all the value-chain that are tied to these businesses so that the SMEs will continue to thrive. SMEs are the future of Africa and will continue to provide support to SME businesses,” he said.
While commending the bank’s management and staff in the last 75 years, he said the future of UBA and its vision was to be the role model for African businesses.
According to him, “UBA is one bank, uniting Africa while connecting Africans to the World and the World to Africa. Our primary focus is to be the payment bank for capital flows, trade and investments between Africa and the rest of the world.
“We are committed to expanding our presence, seizing growth opportunities, and delivering value to all stakeholders. Collaboration and partnerships as exemplified by the $6 billion SME funding agreement signed with the African Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) will be instrumental in achieving our strategic objectives. We are dedicated to deepening relationships with customers, employees, regulators, and other stakeholders for mutual benefit and long-term success.
“I would like to reiterate UBA’s commitment to its Customer First Philosophy, which is our primary business strategy. The customer is our employer and the sole reason why we come to work. Our three key pillars of service (People, Process and Technology) are all geared towards the delivery of excellent customer experience, which is our promise.
“As we embark on the next phase of our journey, I urge all stakeholders to continue their support and collaboration. Together, we will write the next chapter of success for United Bank for Africa Plc.”
