United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc has unveiled an ambitious vision to expand its presence to over 100 countries worldwide in the next 75 years, deepening its role as a truly global African institution.

Looking ahead, UBA also plans to grow its customer base from over 45 million at present to more than one billion customers within the next 75 years.

The bank aims to achieve this by leveraging cutting-edge technology, customer-first innovation, trusted relationships, and collaborations to meet the evolving needs of individuals, businesses, and governments.

The bank projects to accomplish more, driven by its unwavering Customer 1st philosophy, the vast and untapped potential across Africa, and the deeply held belief that UBA possesses the capacity, resilience, and responsibility to confront and overcome the continent’s most pressing challenges while unlocking sustainable opportunities for future generations.

This vision was unveiled by Dr Oliver Alawuba, GMD/CEO of UBA Plc, over the weekend during his opening remarks at the UBA @ 75 anniversary gala dinner in Abuja.

Speaking during the celebration, themed “UBA @ 75 – A Legacy of Excellence… A Future of Impact,” Alawuba said, “At UBA, we are building more than a bank; we are building a future for the next generation of Africans—one defined by opportunity, inclusion, and transformation.

“In the next 75 years, we envision a UBA with a presence in every African country and an expansion to over 100 countries worldwide, deepening its role as a truly global African institution.

“In the next 75 years, UBA will serve more than one billion customers, leveraging cutting-edge technology, customer-first innovation, and trusted relationships and collaborations to meet the evolving needs of individuals, businesses, and governments.

“In the next 75 years, UBA will be more than a part of Africa’s economic renaissance—it will shape its trajectory and champion its transformation.”

Alawuba highlighted that 75 years ago, UBA commenced operations in 1949 on Kakawa Street, Lagos Island, as the British and French Bank. Today, through the strength and resilience of its people and the unwavering trust of its customers, the bank operates in 20 African countries and four global financial centres—New York, London, Paris, and Dubai.

“We are serving over 45 million customers through 1,000 business offices and a diverse array of channels: more than 430,000 POS terminals, 2,600 ATMs, and 21 million cardholders, powered by a workforce of over 25,000 staff across our network,” he stated.

UBA has consistently recorded numerous achievements, delivering an impressive performance in the 2024 fiscal year, with gross earnings soaring by 53.6% to ₦3.19 trillion ($2.14 billion)—underscoring the bank’s strong earnings momentum.

Furthermore, total assets expanded by 46.8% to ₦30.32 trillion ($19.58 billion), and shareholders’ funds strengthened by 68.39% to ₦3.42 trillion ($2.21 billion)—reflecting UBA’s growing balance sheet and unwavering resilience.

The GMD/CEO said, “These milestones stand on the pillars of stability, resilience, and excellence—pillars that have anchored UBA’s growth over the last seven and a half decades.”

Earlier,  Senator Kashim Shettima, vice president, extolled what he termed the staying power of the United Bank for Africa (UBA Group) over the past 75 years, describing the financial institution as a pacesetter in innovation, emerging markets, and generational ambition.

“Seventy-five years is not something you pick up at a supermarket. It is earned. It’s through risks and calculations, through storms and sunshine, through mergers and acquisitions, and through the brainpower and courage of those who believe in its promise of a new world. That is what leadership means,” he declared.

Senator Shettima said the celebration of an institution like UBA “that has outlived generations and still pulses with the vibrancy of youth” is not something that happens every day.

“The United Bank for Africa, or simply UBA, is not what it is because of the age of its ideas. It is what it is because of the attention it pays—attention to innovation, attention to emerging markets, attention to shifting dreams, and attention to the changing contours of generational ambition.

“UBA has remained a pacesetter because it is led by people who do not just manage capital but manage curiosity.

“UBA’s staying power is owed to its pursuit of relevance. It has stood as a reward for new thinking, expanding not just across geography but across ideas.

“It serves millions, it shapes economies, and it influences the narrative of what an African institution can become when excellence is institutionalised and when well-intentioned dream-makers are in charge.”

The Vice President acknowledged the leadership ability of Mr Tony Elumelu, group chairman, UBA, whom he described as one of the finest sons of the African continent, noting that no institution writes its history without the signature of those who believe in it.

According to him, Elumelu has “become a bridge between the old and the new, between the outdated and the emerging,” adding that he “has won the trust of even the Gen Zs, or whatever this brilliant, digital generation calls itself.”

He continued, “Tony Elumelu is not a dreamer. Dreamers are those who are stuck in the bubble. Mr Elumelu is a dream-maker. He has made true the imagination of those who wish for an empire from the comfort of their homes. He has taught us that it is possible to build without breaking, to lead without losing touch, and to dream without borders.

“One thing that has amused me about Mr Elumelu over the years is that he has cracked a code many still struggle to decipher—the delicate art of balancing the boardroom with the living room, of being a captain of industry and still a commander at home.

“Not many men have managed a balance between building empires and building families, between saving the world and being present at Christmas in their village. But this man, this maverick, this dream-maker, has shown us that you can help move the continent forward without losing touch with home and family.”

The Vice President also lauded Elumelu’s wife, Dr Awele Elumelu, saying she is not just a spouse “but an Amazon—a matriarch who gathers the kith and kin under her warm canopy,” as well as the quiet strength behind the force that is her husband.

Earlier,Tony Elumelu, group chairman of UBA, expressed profound gratitude to the Vice President while acknowledging the bank’s foundational history.

“This is a night of celebration, gratitude to God and to customers and shareholders who have made it possible,” Elumelu stated.

The Chairman emphasised the importance of honouring those who established UBA’s foundation, saying, “We all today are under the shields because someone planted the tree. The foundation of UBA was laid by people before us; we are only taking it further.”

Looking toward the future, Elumelu expressed confidence in the bank’s continued success, tying it directly to Nigeria’s economic environment.

“On the vision of the next 75 years, just keep transforming our domestic economy as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is doing, and UBA will keep roaring,” he affirmed.

The Supreme Court of Nigeria has set aside a Federal High Court judgement in which over N22 trillion was awarded against Union Bank and other parties since 2014.

The judgement arose from a suit instituted by a company known as Visana Nigeria Limited which claimed that Union Bank was indebted to it in the sum of approximately $8 million at an interest rate of 2.5 per cent per month compounded from January 2000 until judgement and thereafter at 10 per cent per annum from the date of judgement until the sum was fully paid.

Delivering the lead judgement of the Supreme Court, with which four other Justices agreed, Justice Stephen Jonah Adah regretted how non-adherence to a settled judicial precedent by the two lower courts had caused a simple matter to be in court for over 25 years.

The final determination of the case is expected to lay to rest the discomfort of the CBN and other regulators of Union Bank, its auditors and rating agencies on the possible impact of the judgement on the going concern status of the bank.

Visana instituted the suit against the defendants, alleging that Metalloplastica Nigeria Limited, a Borrower from Union Bank was indebted to it in the sum of $7,616,188.94 as at December 1993 and that the purported Deed of Debenture made on 24th February 1989, pursuant to which Continental Merchant Bank appointed Chief R. U. Uche as Receiver/Manager of Metalloplastica was invalid, same having been procured “without the prior written consent of Universal Trust Bank and its successors-in title or assigns (being Union Bank) as provided in paragraph 13(f) of the original Debenture issued by Metalloplastica in favour of Universal Trust Bank.

In less than a year since its launch, the Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has attracted over 500,000 student loan applications—highlighting a growing national demand for accessible and inclusive higher education support.

The remarkable figure, achieved in just 11 months, signals the urgent need for student-friendly financial structures in Nigeria’s educational system.

Speaking on the development, Mr. Akintunde Sawyerr, managing director/CEO of NELFUND,  described the volume of applications as “a signal of hope for families across Nigeria.”

“We are witnessing a nationwide demand for opportunity, and NELFUND is proud to be at the heart of this transformation,” he said.

Since launching its portal, the Fund has enabled students from various institutions to apply for both tuition and maintenance loans, demonstrating the critical role it plays in bridging educational access gaps.

Sawyerr reaffirmed the Fund’s dedication to transparency, ease of access, and operational efficiency, while calling on stakeholders across sectors to support NELFUND’s mission of making higher education affordable for all.

He also encouraged students who are yet to apply or who need clarity on the process to reach out to the NELFUND support team for guidance.