The Banker Magazine, a publication of Financial Times, has named United Bank for Africa Plc (UBA), the ‘Bank of the Year’, Africa at an event held in London. The bank also won the country awards for Senegal and Cameroon, bringing the total number of awards received by UBA to three.
A statement from UBA, said the financial institution carted home the regional award for the continent, joining the ranks of other regional winners like Scotiabank- Global Americas, Nordea-Western Europe, Raiffeisen Bank International -Central and Eastern Europe, DBS-Asia\Pacific and Qatar National Bank-Middle East. “The ‘Bank of the Year’ is selected based on the overall performance of the financial institution and the opinion of leading financial analysts from the world’s financial markets. Winners were recognised and presented with awards in the presence of over 450 leading bankers across the globe,” the statement explained.
The awards, according to UBAM further attested to its growing recognition “as the leading pan- African financial services institution and as Africa’s global bank.” The awards were received by the Bank’s Deputy Managing Director, Mr.
Kennedy Uzoka; Managing Director, UBA Cameroon, Mr. Georges Wega; Managing Director, UBA Capital Europe, Mr. Ebele Ogbue, and Head UBA Representative Office Paris, DeMontalivet Edouard.
Explaining the rationale for the awards, The Banker said UBA was chosen on account of the bank’s successful turnaround to profitability following the write- offs and clean-up of its balance sheet in 2011. The Banker also stated that other reasons for the selection of UBA were the notable consolidation of UBA’s business across Africa as well as its innovative cross border payment/remittance products and platforms, which have made trade and financial transactions easier and more convenient in the continent. Commenting on the awards, Group Managing
Director/Chief Executive Officer, UBA, Mr. Phillips Oduoza, said it validated the UBA Group’s “leadership position in the continent and lent credence to its expansion across Africa and promotion of industry wide excellence in the global banking community.”
Oduoza added: “Winning the three highly coveted awards is a great accomplishment and it also reinforces UBA’s collective steadfastness and drive to becoming the bank of choice in Africa, in line with the Bank’s positioning as Africa’s global bank.
We dedicate it to all our stakeholders across the continent and are further encouraged to work harder.”