The Nigerian banking industry has recorded another significant achievement as United Bank for Africa (UBA) Group has been named Africa’s Bank of the Year 2025, further cementing its position as one of the continent’s leading financial institutions.
UBA, one of Africa’s largest financial employers, with about 25,000 staff and more than 45 million customers operates in 20 African countries as well as the United Kingdom, the United States, France and the United Arab Emirates. The bank offers retail, commercial and institutional banking services, with strong commitments to financial inclusion and digital innovation.
The recognition was announced at an award ceremony hosted by TheBanker.com, a global financial publication under the Financial Times of London. Held at The Peninsula in London, the event reaffirmed UBA’s reputation for innovation and resilience, marking the bank’s third continental win in five years.
According to the organisers, UBA’s selection was driven by its robust financial performance and strategic investments. In 2024, the bank grew its assets by 46.8 per cent and increased its pre-tax profit by 6.1 per cent (in local currency terms), while intensifying investments in technology and talent. West Africa continued to lead the bank’s performance, with operating revenue rising by 87 per cent and profit by 89 per cent in the first half of 2025.
The publication highlighted UBA’s innovation drive, noting: “During the year under review, UBA launched its Advance Top-Up buy-now-pay-later feature on the 919# USSD platform, expanding financial access for customers. The bank’s chatbot, Leo, continued to grow strongly, with transaction volumes up 29 per cent year-on-year in H1 2025. In August, Leo became the first African banking chatbot to enable cross-border payments through the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS).”
It added: “For the third time in five years, UBA Group has won the coveted Bank of the Year award for Africa. UBA consistently punches above its weight against larger continental rivals. This year, the bank also secures nine individual country awards — around a quarter of all awards on the continent and more than any other Pan-African competitor.”
The awards cover institutions operating across West Africa (Benin, Liberia, Senegal, Sierra Leone and former member Mali), the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (Chad and the Republic of Congo) and the Southern African Development Community (Mozambique and Zambia).
UBA’s nine subsidiary wins bring its total honours this year to ten, with UBA Benin, UBA Chad, UBA Republic of Congo (Congo-Brazzaville), UBA Liberia, UBA Mali, UBA Mozambique, UBA Senegal, UBA Sierra Leone and UBA Zambia all named Best Bank of the Year in their respective markets. The sweep underscores the strength and depth of UBA’s Pan-African footprint.
The Chief Executive Officer of UBA UK, Deji Adeyelure, received the awards on behalf of the Group Managing Director/CEO, Oliver Alawuba. He was accompanied by the Head of Business Development, Mark Ifashe, and the Head of Financial Institutions, Shilpam Jha.
Reacting to the achievement, Alawuba said the recognition reaffirms the bank’s long-term strategic direction and its commitment to customer-centricity.
“This honour reflects the strength of our Pan-African network, the trust of our customers and the dedication of our people. Winning Africa’s Bank of the Year for the third time in five years is no coincidence; it is the result of disciplined execution, innovation and a deep understanding of the markets we serve.”
He added: “Our nine country awards across different regions show that UBA is not just expanding, but expanding with impact. We remain committed to promoting financial inclusion, supporting economic development and deploying technology that makes banking simpler, faster and more accessible to Africans everywhere.”
The Banker’s Awards are widely regarded as among the most rigorous and respected honours in global banking, celebrating institutions that demonstrate exceptional performance, innovation and strategic excellence.
