United Bank for Africa Group has unveiled plans to establish a branch in Saudi Arabia and further extend its footprint across Africa in 2025.
This announcement was made by the Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Oliver Alawuba, at a send-off dinner organized in honour of the bank’s retired non-executive directors in Abuja on Wednesday evening.
Alawuba highlighted that UBA currently employs over 25,000 individuals and serves more than 45 million customers across 24 countries.
He expressed pride in the legacy built by the bank, stating, “The UBA, which has over 25,000 staff and serves more than 45 million customers across 24 countries, is the legacy you have contributed to. That is the UBA that will continue to thrive for generations.”
He reassured customers that UBA is committed to sustaining its growth and operations, adding, “Our chairman was in Saudi Arabia recently and announced that UBA will establish its presence there next year. We will also launch additional African subsidiaries, ensuring that the bank grows from strength to strength.”
In his address, Alawuba emphasized the collective effort behind the bank’s success and expressed his gratitude to the retirees for their invaluable contributions.
UBA Chairman, Tony Elumelu, also took the opportunity to commend the retired directors and their families for their unwavering dedication.
“At UBA, we are more than just a bank; we are a family. These individuals have been selfless, ultra-dedicated, and instrumental to the success we have achieved in Nigeria, Africa, and globally. We owe a debt of gratitude to their families for the support they provided,” Elumelu remarked.
Reflecting on his journey at UBA, one of the retirees, Kayode Fashola, shared how he first joined the bank and expressed his gratitude to Elumelu for entrusting him with key responsibilities despite their initial unfamiliarity.
“To work with Elumelu, you must be committed, dedicated, and skilled. You must also be loyal. He is someone who entrusts everything to someone he doesn’t know. I was a stranger to him, and he appointed me as the Chairman of the General Purpose Committee. I held that position for four years, and he never once interfered with my work,” Fashola said.
