The annual African Banker Awards, organised by the African Banker Magazine, took place on Tuesday at the JW Marriott Hotel in Nairobi, Kenya, on the sidelines of the African Development Bank Annual Meetings.

The ceremony was attended by over 300 of the continent’s leading figures in banking and finance and UBA being recognised as the Best Regional Bank – West Africa, marks a significant milestone especially as the bank celebrates 75 years of delivering on its promises, solidifying its legacy as Africa’s Global Bank.

While receiving the awards on behalf of the bank, the managing director/executive officer, UBA Kenya, Ms. Mary Mulili, highlighted the significance of this achievement in line with the bank’s commitment to its customers and partners.

She stated, “We are honoured to be recognised as the Best Regional Bank – West Africa. This award is a testament to the hard work, dedication, and innovation of the entire UBA team. It reflects our commitment to excellence and our unwavering focus on delivering value to our customers. For our global presence, this award reinforces UBA’s position as a leading global financial institution with a deep understanding of the African market and a strong international network.

Continuing, she said, this award also showcases our ability to serve as the bridge between Africa and the world, providing seamless financial solutions that drive growth and prosperity. As we celebrate 75 years of UBA, we remain committed to inspiring innovation, growth, and excellence. This award is not just a recognition of our past achievement but a motivation to continue striving for greatness in the years to come.”

In his speech, Chair of the Awards Committee, Omar Ben Yedder, noted that banks and financial institutions are going through an important transition and are playing a critical role in financing growth, especially with the retreat of international banks from the continent.

“We are seeing a coalition of DFIs taking shape and these will have to see considerable capital increases to plug the gap in infrastructure, trade, climate and also SME Financing. We are also seeing further reform and new capital requirements for banks.

This will lead to bigger banks and we have seen how the likes of UBA play a role in financing big conglomerates and large infrastructure projects, something unimaginable two decades ago,” he said.

United Bank for Africa is one of the largest employers in the financial sector on the African continent, with 25,000 employees group-wide and serving over 45 million customers globally. Operating in twenty African countries and in the United Kingdom, the United States of America, France and the United Arab Emirates, UBA provides retail, commercial and institutional banking services, leading financial inclusion and implementing cutting-edge technology.