Freetown, Sierra Leone; Dec 20th, 2023: We are thrilled and humbled to emerge as the Banker’s choice for the best bank in Sierra Leone. This prestigious recognition is a testament to our unwavering commitment to excellence in providing top-notch financial solutions to our esteemed customers.

As a subsidiary of UBA Group, we have again demonstrated our prowess on the international stage as we clinched the 2023 Best Bank of the Year at the Bankers Awards 2023, organized by The Banker Magazine – a publication of the Financial Times of London, the world’s leading business newspaper.

The prestigious awards presented to the Bank at a ceremony in London, United Kingdom on Thursday, 30th November, included the highly coveted Bank of the Year Africa 2023, solidifying UBA’s position as the leading financial institution in Sierra Leone. Through our relentless dedication to innovation and customer-centricity, we have set a new standard for banking in Sierra Leone.

“At UBA Sierra Leone, we believe that success is not just about surpassing expectations but also about positively impacting the lives of our customers and the communities we serve. This award serves as a reminder of the immense trust and loyalty our customers have placed in us,” says the Acting MD/CEO UBA Sierra Leone, Mohamed Alhajie Samoura.

The MD/CEO added that “winning the best bank in Sierra Leone is a collective achievement, made possible by the unwavering support of our amazing customers, dedicated staff, and the vision of our esteemed leadership. Together, we will continue to redefine what it means to be a financial powerhouse in Sierra Leone.”

The Bank’s other subsidiaries also emerged as the Bank of the Year in seven  of the 20 countries where it operates in Africa. The winning subsidiaries are UBA Cameroon, UBA Chad, UBA Ghana, UBA Cote d’Ivoire, UBA Mozambique, UBA Congo, and UBA Tanzania, underscoring the bank’s dominance and impact across diverse African markets. It is noteworthy that this would be the second time in the past three years that the Bank has won the regional award as the best bank in Africa, as it had emerged as the winner in 2021. In Sierra Leone, this is the fifth time the bank has won this prestigious award back to back since 2019.

UBA’s Group Managing Director, Oliver Alawuba, who received the awards on behalf of the bank, expressed his gratitude and excitement about the awards, and said the recognitions come as a reassurance that the bank is on track in its goal of consolidating its leadership position in Africa and creating superior value for its stakeholders.

“UBA is honored to be named the Bank of the Year in these eight countries and to receive the overall Award for Africa. This accomplishment is a testament to the hard work, dedication, and innovative spirit of the entire UBA team. We remain committed to delivering top-notch banking services that positively impact the lives of our customers across the continent.

Continuing, Alawuba said, “We have our millions of customers across the globe and our many thousands of staff to thank for this. They are the very reason why we keep winning and receiving these accolades.”

The Banker Awards is widely recognized as a benchmark for banking excellence globally, and UBA’s multiple victories underscore the institution’s commitment to providing exceptional financial services and superior financial intermediation on the continent. As Africa’s Bank of the Year, UBA has demonstrated its ability to navigate the complexities of the African banking landscape and emerge as a leading force in driving economic growth and financial inclusion.

Speaking earlier about UBA’s consistent excellence in the financial services sector across the continent, which has earned the bank great accolades over time, Editor of the Banker, Joy Macknight, said that as always, UBA remains a clear winner across a wide range of criteria, having performed impressively across its footprint with a strong financial performance across most of its markets.

“In a year of strong competition among the continent’s major banking groups, UBA has gained the edge on its rivals to win the Bank of the Year award for Africa for the 2nd time in three years. Congratulations. The award recognizes the bank’s strength across Africa, including many of its most competitive markets,” Macknight stated.

Since 1926, the Bank of the Year awards has been celebrating the best of global banking and is regarded as the industry standard for banking excellence.

United Bank for Africa Plc is a leading Pan-African financial institution, offering banking services to more than thirty-five (35) million customers, across 1,000 business offices and customer touch points in 20 African countries. With a presence in New York, London, Paris, and Dubai, UBA is connecting people and businesses across Africa through retail, commercial and corporate banking, innovative cross-border payments and remittances, trade finance, and ancillary banking services. The provided text has been edited for grammar and clarity.