By Francis Ajuonuma
United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc strengthened its position as one of the continent’s most successful and systemically important financial institutions after emerging as Africa’s Bank of the Year 2025, the third time in five years the Group has secured the honour from The Banker, a Financial Times publication.
The recognition comes amid the bank’s robust expansion, rising profitability and sustained investment in digital banking infrastructure, factors analysts say have positioned UBA as a key driver of financial inclusion and cross-border economic activity across Africa.
At the 2025 awards ceremony at The Peninsula, London, UBA also dominated the country-level categories, winning Best Bank in nine of its 20 African subsidiaries.
Receiving the awards on behalf of the Group Managing Director/CEO, Oliver Alawuba, the CEO of UBA UK, Deji Adeyelure, said the bank’s consistent global recognition reflects the effectiveness of its growth strategy and its rising relevance in Africa’s financial architecture.
According to The Banker, UBA’s continental win is notable not only for its recurrence but also for its scale and geographic spread, with the nine-country wins representing nearly a quarter of all African awards issued in 2025.
The publication noted that UBA continues to “punch above its weight” against some of the continent’s largest banks, citing its operational efficiency and strategic capital allocation.
The Group’s financial data shows why. In 2024, UBA recorded a 46.8% growth in assets and a 6.1% rise in pre-tax profit in local currency terms, while maintaining aggressive investments in digital systems, risk management and workforce development.
West Africa remains the Group’s strongest region, delivering 87% growth in operating revenue and 89% growth in profit in the first half of 2025.
UBA’s digital innovation, now a central pillar of its revenue diversification, was also highlighted.
The bank expanded credit access through its USSD-based Advance Top-Up feature, while its AI-driven chatbot, Leo, grew transaction volume by 29% year-on-year.
Notably, in August 2025, Leo became the first African banking chatbot to process cross-border payments using the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS), signalling UBA’s ambition to dominate Africa’s emerging instant-payment ecosystem.
Reacting to the awards, Group CEO Oliver Alawuba said the achievements validate the bank’s long-term Pan-African strategy and operational discipline.
“This honour reflects the strength of our 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 a testament to innovation, execution and deep market understanding,” he said.
He added that the nine countries’ wins demonstrate UBA’s ability to grow “with impact,” particularly in markets where financial inclusion is still expanding.
“We remain committed to supporting economic development and deploying technology that makes banking simpler and more accessible across Africa,” he said.
With 25,000 employees and more than 45 million customers worldwide, UBA operates in 20 African countries as well as the UK, USA, France and the UAE, making it one of the continent’s most globally connected financial institutions.
