Africa: UBA Strengthens Pan-African Expansion, Reassures Shareholders of Competitive Dividends

United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc has reiterated its commitment to delivering sustainable long-term value to shareholders and stakeholders, leveraging its strong digital capabilities and strategic investments across diverse markets in Africa and beyond.

Speaking during the bank’s 2025 Half-Year Investors Conference Call, following the release of its H1 results for the period ended June 30, 2025, Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Oliver Alawuba, emphasized that UBA’s diversified business model continues to drive resilience, growth, and profitability across its operations.

Alawuba highlighted that UBA’s presence in 20 African countries—with 19 outside Nigeria—has positioned the bank as a key player in many of these markets. According to him, the contribution of the bank’s African subsidiaries to its profit before tax rose significantly to 53 per cent in the first half of 2025, underscoring the strength of its Pan-African growth strategy.

“We see immense opportunities across Africa, and we are strategically investing to capture them. By expanding our product and service offerings, deepening customer engagement, and attracting the right talent, UBA remains well-positioned to create long-term value,” Alawuba said.

On dividend expectations for the current financial year, Alawuba assured investors of a competitive dividend payout, supported by the bank’s solid financial performance and outlook.

UBA’s H1 2025 results reflected strong fundamentals:

• Gross earnings rose by 17.28%, from ₦1.371 trillion in June 2024 to ₦1.608 trillion.

• Interest income increased by 32.89%, reaching ₦1.334 trillion compared to ₦1.004 trillion a year earlier.

• Total assets expanded by 9.71% to ₦33.3 trillion, up from ₦30.3 trillion in December 2024.

• Customer deposits climbed 11.96%, closing at ₦27.6 trillion compared to ₦24.7 trillion at the end of 2024.

Alawuba further noted that UBA’s ongoing investments in technology, digital innovation, and compliance management systems are central to its strategy of driving efficiency, improving customer experience, and sustaining its leadership as the preferred financial partner for more than 45 million customers worldwide.

Reinforcing this position, Ugo Nwaghodoh, Executive Director for Finance and Risk Management, stated that UBA will continue to harness compliance technology, risk assessment frameworks, and digital solutions to expand income streams and strengthen its role as Africa’s global bank.

“Our diversified African footprint and interconnected operations provide a strong buffer against market volatility. UBA’s strategy remains anchored on resilience, innovation, and value creation—supporting communities, enhancing financial inclusion, and driving economic progress across Africa and beyond,” Nwaghodoh said.

With this strong performance and commitment to governance, risk, and compliance (GRC), UBA continues to reinforce investor confidence, demonstrating that its Pan-African expansion is both sustainable and rewarding for shareholders.