UBA emerges Africa’s top bank, records most wins at 2021 African Banker awards

The United Bank for Africa (UBA) is Africa’s top bank for 2021, says The Banker magazine at its award ceremony where the bank also broke the magazine’s record of winning the most awards on the night with 14, including for Nigeria and 12 of its other subsidiaries across the continent.

The awards further reaffirmed the bank’s leadership position as Africa’s global bank, UBA said in a statement. The African Bank of the Year award was given by the Banker Magazine, a leading global finance news publication published by the Financial Times of London, and has been on since 1926.

The event which was held virtually on December 1, saw the leading pan-African financial institution break the magazine’s record by winning the best bank in Nigeria award and in 12 of its African subsidiaries, including UBA Nigeria Plc, UBA Benin, UBA Burkina Faso, UBA Cameroon, UBA Chad, UBA Congo Brazzaville, UBA Cote D’Ivoire, UBA Gabon, UBA Guinea, UBA Liberia, UBA Senegal, UBA Sierra Leone and UBA Zambia.

The 14 awards make it the first time ever in the history of the almost 100 years of The Banker that any banking group will be clinching as many as 14 wins in a single year.

Speaking at the event, John Everington, the Middle East and Africa editor for The Banker, said a rigorous and highly analytical process is made annually to reach the decision for each Bank of the Year award and the institution’s reputation for independence, authority and integrity is thoroughly applied to each submission.

“While several African banks impressed the judges this year, there was no doubt as to the worthiest recipient of the Bank of the Year for Africa – UBA Group – a clear winner across a wide range of criteria. UBA has performed impressively across its footprint with a strong financial performance across most of its markets,” said Everington.

Last year, at the same awards, six of UBA subsidiaries in Benin, Cote D’Ivoire, Chad, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Zambia were also winners of the 2020 Best Bank award in their countries.

However, the bank’s solid financial performance, its excellent service delivery to customers and its continuous role in facilitating rapid economic growth across the African continent were some of the reasons that led to the bank being named best bank in 12 of its African subsidiaries and in Nigeria.

Kennedy Uzoka, UBA’s group managing director and chief executive officer, commenting on the recognition, said: “Like I always say, at UBA, we must be doing something right. Winning 14 total awards in 13 subsidiaries and the Bank of the Year on the African continent is a big achievement.

“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. We have millions of customers across the globe and many thousands of staff to thank for this. They are the very reason why we keep winning.”