By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Chief Executive Officer of United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, Mr Victor Osadolor, has said the ongoing transformation strategies put in place by the board and management of the lender were already yielding meaningful results.
Mr Osadolor made this disclosure at an award ceremony organised by the Banker Magazine over the weekend in London, where UBA carted home with seven awards.
For the second time, UBA was announced as the African Bank of the Year 2019, having been named Best African Bank of 2017 by The Banker magazine. This year, UBA also won best bank category in 6 of its subsidiaries: UBA Benin, UBA Tchad, UBA Gabon, UBA Congo, UBA Cote D’Ivoire and UBA Sierra Leone.
The unprecedented win marks the first time ever in the history of the banker awards, that any one bank will be given as many as six wins including the grand regional award.
While receiving the awards on behalf of the bank, Mr Osadolor said, “UBA group will continue to innovate and lead in all our business segments, whilst delivering top-notch operational efficiencies and best-in-class customer service. We are beginning to realise early gains from our ongoing transformation programme and I am excited about the days ahead.”
Also commenting on the feats, UBA’s Group Managing Director/CEO, Mr Kennedy Uzoka, expressed delight over the recognition from The Banker stating that, “The recognitions come as a reassurance that we are on track in consolidating our leadership position in Africa, as we continue to create superior value for all our stakeholders.”
“UBA must be doing something right, and for us, these awards mark another milestone for the Group. It is a testament of the diligent execution of the bank’s strategic initiatives geared towards customer service.
“Being recognised as Africa’s best bank complements positive feedback from customers and is a recognition of our improving efficiencies, service quality and innovation. I therefore dedicate it to our growing loyal corporate and retail customers, who are our essence,” he added.
Mr Uzoka dedicated the awards to the UBA’s customers, “whose loyalty, support and patronage have remained the source of the group’s growth and competitive edge in all the markets we operate.”
In his remarks, Middle East and Africa Editor for The Banker, Mr John Everington, stated that the aim of the award “is to highlight industry wide excellence within the global banking community. The winner is selected from participating banks in each of the countries from which entries are received for the competition.”
The Banker Magazine is a publication of the Financial Times, a leading global finance news publication which has been in existence since 1888. The Banker magazine is the definitive reference in international banking for high level decision makers globally.
The Bank of the Year Awards are widely regarded as the Oscars of the Banking Industry. For over 90 years, The Banker has been the world’s leading monthly journal for the banking industry.
UBA is a leading pan-African financial services group with presence in 20 African countries, as well as the United Kingdom, the United States of America and France.
Aduragbemi Omiyale 
Dipo Olowookere