By Ishmael Sallieu Koroma

“United Bank for Africa Sierra Leone (UBA-SL), one of the leading innovative digital banks in the country, is thrilled to announce the appointment of George Menelik Benjamin (AKA Drizilik), a renowned Sierra Leonean artist, as the official brand ambassador for UBA Leo and NextGen Retail Liabilities Products for a one-year term,” a statement from the bank said on Wednesday.

According to the statement, the bank said that this strategic collaboration signifies a powerful union between artistry and innovation in banking, aiming to inspire young people in Sierra Leone and worldwide to cultivate the habit of banking.

“Drizilik is a multi-award-winning Sierra Leonean singer and rapper with over 3 million online streams in the past three years and notable collaborations in the music industry. As a bank, we believe he will serve as an excellent voice to promote the features of UBA Leo and NextGen Account,’’ the statement reads.

According to UBA- SL, it said, banking doesn’t have to be boring; stating that Leo is a Chatbot that enables you to effortlessly send money to any UBA bank account, UBA prepaid card, other banks, and financial institutions. Simply type ‘Send money’ on any of the Leo platforms to transfer funds to yourself and loved ones.

‘’Make your transactions simple, easy, and fast just by having a conversation with Leo on WhatsApp +23279919919, Facebook Messenger, Apple Messages, Instagram, and Google Business Chat,’’ the bank noted.

The Bank added that the UBA NextGen Accounts cater to students in senior secondary school, tertiary institutions, or National Youth Service Corps members aged 18-25 years noting that it provides a tailored banking experience for young individuals.

‘’UBA Leo and NextGen Products are designed with the youth in mind, aiming to make banking services easy and accessible for young people. As a bank, we want to encourage young individuals in Sierra Leone to view banking as a lifestyle rather than a mundane task,’’

UBA believes that Drizilik brings a unique perspective and unparalleled artistic prowess to this partnership, embodying the core values and principles shared by both the bank and their esteemed customers.

‘’Since these products are youth oriented, Drizilik’s exceptional talent, combined with his deep understanding of our brand’s vision, makes him the perfect embodiment of the spirit and ethos that define his craft as an ambassador for these products,’’

The bank further added that this collaboration with the star sets the stage for exciting and groundbreaking activities such as the Leo Party, Customer Engagement, Campus Storms, social media engagements, and branch visitations stating these activities, to be revealed in the coming weeks and months, promise to revolutionize enrollments on Leo and NextGen like never before.

“We are honoured to welcome George Menelik Benjamin (AKA Drizilik) into the UBA family as our product brand ambassador,” said Mohamed Alhajie Samoura, Acting MD/CEO of UBA Sierra Leone. “His exceptional talent and creative vision perfectly align with our commitment to fostering innovation and inspiring young people in banking. Together, we aim to empower our customers to explore the limitless possibilities these products offer,” added the MD of UBA Sierra Leone.

“I am thrilled to collaborate with UBA Sierra Leone on this exciting venture. The bank’s dedication to excellence and commitment to pushing the boundaries of innovation resonate deeply with my artistic vision. Together, we will embark on a journey to improve product knowledge and encourage young people to open accounts with the bank,” said Benjamin.