United Bank for Africa:Sustaining Stronger Regional Growth

Kayode Tokede writes on look  how regional operations across the continent impacted on the overall growth of  United Bank for Africa Plc  in the 2025 financial year

Operating in 20 African countries, United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc in the 2025  financial year declared revenue with a varied performance across the regions, with West Africa countries leading with strong growth, East & Southern  Africa demonstrating steady progress, and Central Africa  maintaining stability.

Also operating in the United States, United Kingdom (UK), France, and United Arab Emirates (UAE), the group’s pan-African operations continue to be a major growth driver, contributing over 50 per cent of total assets, revenue, and profit.

In the 2025 FY, the group’s West Africa countries posted N1.01 trillion operating revenue, about 19 per cent increase over N852 billion in 2024 FY, while East & Southern Africa countries closed 2025 with operating revenue of about N178billion, representing an increase of five per cent from N169 billion reported in 2024FY.  

Also, Central Africa’s operating revenue  was at N488 billion in 2025, from N487 billion in 2024.  
The momentum seen in 2025 FY indicated opportunities  in the market  for expansion and deeper market penetration in all regions.

Overall performance showed strong upward momentum in 2025 FY,  with most segments delivering solid year-on-year growth.  While performance varied slightly across segments, the  general trend remains positive and growth-oriented.

UBA in West Africa  countries generated N457 billion profit after tax in 2025, a significant increase of 53per cent from N298 billion reported in 2024.

Aside from Nigeria, the audited 2025 results showed that, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, among others declared an impressive growth in profit before tax and profit after tax.  

For example, UBA  Côte d’Ivoire declared  N126.58 billion profit before tax in 2025, about 121.2 per cent increase over N57.24billion in 2024, while profit after tax stood at N125.01 billion in 2025, a growth of 124.2 per cent when compared to N55.76billion reported in 2024.

Also, UBA Ghana posted N78.17 billion profit before tax, about 252per cent increase over N22.2 billion in 2024,   while profit after tax closed 2025 at N50.5 billion, representing an increase of 282.15 per cent over N13.2 billion reported in 2024.  

The Managing Director of UBA Ghana, Bernard Appiah Gyebi, had disclosed  that the Ghana subsidiary will execute a targeted local expansion strategy for the 2026 financial year to increase its number of branches across the country.

According to him, the expansion would see the establishment of new branches in the Eastern, Bono East and Central regions as part of efforts to reinforce the bank’s position as the preferred bank in the country.

East & Southern Africa in 2025 generated N53billion in profit after tax, a growth of 61 per cent from N33 billion in 2024, while Central Africa moved from N206 billion in 2024 to N167 billion in 2025.  

Expansion across African market in 2025

In the year under review, the group  saw its total assets up by 9.4 per cent to N33.2 trillion from N30.32 trillion in 2024, supported by expansion across African markets. Nigeria, followed by Cameroun, Cote D’ Ivoire and Ghana contributed about per cent of the total assets in 2025.

Extracts from the 2025FY, the Nigerian subsidiary contributed about N16.41 trillion of the total N33.2 trillion  in 2025, from N17.29 trillion in 2024.  This was followed by UBA  Cote D’ Ivoire with about  N2.37 trillion total assets in 2025, up by nearly five per cent from N2.26 trillion in 2024.

As UBA Cameroun reported N2.05 trillion total assets in 2025, representing an increase of 11 per cent from N1.86 trillion in 2024, UBA Ghana closed 2025 with N1.59 trillion total assets in 21025,  a significant increase over 52 per cent from N1.04 trillion reported in 2024.

The group declared customers deposits grew by 11.8 per cent to N27.2 trillion in 2025 from N24.3 trillion in 2024, reflecting stronger regional customer activity.  

The achieved double-digit growth in customer deposits, underlined savings deposits up 18 per cent year-on-year and term  deposits increasing by 30per cent, supported by a five per cent growth in current deposits, reflecting extensive product offerings, preferred  banking partner, and service efficiency.

The 27 per cent Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR)  in customer deposits signifies customer confidence and underscores the bank’s competitive strength and  market share expansion across geographies.

Also from the balance sheet position, the group posted loans & Advances to Customers of N7.02 trillion, in 2025, an increase of one per cent from N6.96 trillion reported in 2024.  

Strengthening pan-African diversified

The Group Managing-Director, UBA, Mr. Oliver Alawuba, had stated that the group continued to demonstrate the true strength of its Pan-African diversified model.

He stated that this was in spite of the moderation in bottom-line performance compared to the prior year’s highs, as core business engines, especially in the subsidiaries outside Nigeria delivered double-digit growth.

The management expressed that diversification across Africa countries helped cushion pressure from Nigeria’s economic  and currency volatility.

Connectivity across banking regions

The group strategic investments in digital infrastructure continue to deliver returns, with efficient digital channels performance in 2025. This growth has been fueled by key initiatives, including:  PAPSS on Leo: As the first African chatbot to  launch cross-border payments via PAPSS in Nigeria, UBA Leo is revolutionising intra-African trade and remittances.

Alawuba said: “For us, this is what UBA is all about – connectivity and easing transactions. With PAPSS now fully integrated on our LEO platform, we are not just simplifying payments – we are breaking down the barriers to economic collaboration across African markets and allowing Africans to be able to transact using their own local currencies.

“This is aligned with our vision of being at the heart of Africa’s economic transformation, and so, I say, Now, Africa trade begins!!!”

He emphasised that as the future of Africa lies with the youth, UBA as a bank continues to seek ways to support the youth to grow the economy, adding that the integration of PAPPS on the LEO Platform is one of such ways.

Chief Executive Officer, PAPPS, Mark Ogbalu III, who commended UBA for being an excellent partner with Afrexim bank and PAPPS on their pan-African journey towards enabling trade on the continent, explained that UBA was one of the first financial institutions to enter into PAPPS.

Ogbalu said: “Indeed, PAPPS has had an excellent run with UBA, which has now extended from carrying out these transactions from their branches to digital platforms and channels such as LEO. By this, customers can send and receive their monies within seconds. This of course has an accelerated impact on trade as there is now an interplay between convenience and seamless transacting.
The group has also advanced Top-Up on USSD: Our “Buy Now, Pay  Later” airtime service is enhancing customer convenience and loyalty.

In addition, introduced innovation in POS Business (RED PAY): Merchants now enjoy instant settlements, dashboard for effective access to services, significantly  increasing adoption and transaction volumes.”