Business
UBA Hosts Built to Last, Set to Empower MSME’s with Wealth Management Strategies
As part of its commitment to deepen the growth and sustainability of micro, small and medium-scale enterprises (MSMEs) on the continent, Africa’s Global Bank, United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, is set to host the last edition of its quarterly business series for the year.
This edition of the business series, “Profit with Purpose, Business Continuity,” will be held on Thursday, November 21st 2024, by 12 PM (noon) at the Tony Elumelu Amphitheatre, UBA House, Marina, Lagos and intending participants are expected to register via the Registration Link at https://ubagroup.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_UG0EUWSLTZqu91jSMSih5w
The UBA Business Series is a regular seminar/workshop organised by the bank as capacity-building initiatives for small businesses, where leading business leaders and professionals share well-researched insights on relevant topics and best practices for running successful businesses, especially in a challenging business environment.
This edition seeks to showcase businesses that are resilient and have done well through generations, adapting to political and economic changes.
Renowned leaders from diverse industries, including a prominent lawyer, award winning film director, and producer, Bolanle Austen-Peters whose work has significantly impacted Nigerian Cinema, and theatre will headline this last quarter’ series. Her recent film House of GA’A has achieved a major milestone, reaching Netflix’s Global 10 list for indigenous language films.
Other prominent entrepreneurs who will be on ground to give insightful tips are, Founder and Chief Executive of Asadtek Group Limited, Ghana; Dr. James Asare-Adjei; Award winning TV Personality & Multi Media Entrepreneur, Frank Edoho, Celebrated multimedia personality, Toke Makinwa and founder of Nigeria’s pioneering indigenous premium coffee brand, Happy Coffee, Princess Adeyinka Tekena.
UBA’s Group Head, Retail and Digital Banking, Shamsideen Fashola who spoke on the upcoming workshop, said the vast knowledge and experience of the panellists, will give business owners more insight towards the importance of personal finance, wealth management and most importantly how to navigate the frailties of the harsh economy to ensure business growth.
“We know small businesses are vital to the growth and advancement of every economy, that is why at UBA, we constantly look for ways of ensuring that these business owners and operators are well-equipped to grow their businesses successfully,” he said.
“This edition provides a platform for SMEs to learn from experienced entrepreneurs who have built and sustained businesses through the decades.
“Hearing their stories and strategies will be invaluable for any business owner looking to build a lasting enterprise,” Fashola said.
Also speaking ahead of the event, UBA’s Group Head, Marketing & Corporate Communications, Alero Ladipo, noted that the business series is an invaluable learning opportunity, targeted at helping young and aspiring entrepreneurs scale up their businesses.
Ladipo further said, “At UBA, we are committed to empowering businesses of all sizes, and this business series is one way we are fulfilling that commitment.
“To this end, we have assembled an esteemed panel of speakers who will share their wealth of experience and insights on building a generational business. This is a must-attend event for anyone serious about the long-term success of their enterprise,” she said.
United Bank for Africa Plc is a leading Pan-African financial institution, offering banking services to more than forty-five million customers, across 1,000 business offices and customer touch points in 20 African countries. With 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.
Determine to enrich the digital experience of its subscribers, Globacom has introduced a new data offer, tagged “More Data More Value only on Glo”. The new offer gives customers as much as 10 percent more data across its bundles as the Nigerian telecom landscape shifts toward a data-led economy.
Globacom explained in a statement that “The new offer is designed to ensure that every Naira spent by a Nigerian consumer yields the highest possible digital return”, thus reinforcing the company’s long-standing reputation for affordability and empowerment.
“More Data More Value” offers a variety of weekly and monthly options planned to balance daytime and night-time usage. The weekly plan includes ₦1,000 option which provides 3.7GB of total data, consisting of 1.7GB main data and 2GB night data, while that of ₦2,000 offers 9GB in total, divided into 6.5GB main data and 2.5GB night data.
The monthly plan also comes with different options including that of ₦1,500 which delivers a total of 5.2GB (2.2GB main data paired with 3GB night data); the ₦2,000 option offering 6.25GB data, a combination of 3.25GB main data and 3GB night data and16.5GB, comprising 14.5GB main data and 2GB night data which goes for N5,000. There is also the ₦10,000 and N15,000 options, with N10,000 providing 42GB total, 38GB main data and 4GB night data, while ₦15,000 offers 64GB in total, consisting of 62GB main data and 2GB night data.
Glo’s enhanced bundles provide the necessary incentive for students, remote workers, and entrepreneurs to browse longer, whether for TikTok trends, Instagram aesthetics, YouTube streaming, or high-stakes gaming and stream without fear, ensuring their professional and social lives remain uninterrupted.
These improved bundles from Globacom give entrepreneurs, remote workers, and students the incentive they need to browse longer, whether for high-stakes gaming, YouTube streaming, Instagram aesthetics, or TikTok trends, and stream on end, while ensuring seamlessness in their social and professional lives.
Beyond individual users, the “More Data More Value” offer also extend its benefits to families and SMEs. With the reliance of small businesses and households on mobile hotspots for their daily operations, Glo has optimized its offerings to serve as the preferred network for high-volume usage.
The offer also serves as a driver of digital transformation through the Glo Café app. Customers are encouraged to utilize the app for seamless bundle subscriptions, as it allows them to manage their “more than 10% extra” data with ease, thus ensuring rewarding user experience.
“More Data More Value” offer underscores Glo’s commitment to providing the best value-for-money which gives Nigerians the benefit of not compromising on their digital lifestyle.
Fidelity Bank Plc has reported a strong financial performance for the first quarter of 2026, with gross earnings rising by 37.9 per cent to N434.95 billion, driven by growth in its core banking operations.
The unaudited interim report and accounts for the three months ended March 31, 2026, released on the Nigerian Exchange, showed that the bank’s gross earnings increased from N315.42 billion recorded in the corresponding period of 2025.
Interest income grew significantly by 22.8 per cent to N314.48 billion in Q1 2026, compared with N256.10 billion in Q1 2025, reflecting expansion in the bank’s core business activities.
With net interest income standing at N180.97 billion, the bank posted a profit before tax of N92.48 billion for the period. Profit after tax settled at N74.47 billion, while earnings per share remained strong at N5.69.
The bank also recorded notable improvements across key balance sheet indicators. Total assets rose above the N11 trillion mark to N11.35 trillion as of March 2026, compared with N10.46 trillion recorded at the end of December 2025.
Customer deposits increased from N6.89 trillion to N7.38 trillion during the review period, while shareholders’ funds rose by 27.5 per cent from N1.09 trillion in December 2025 to N1.39 trillion by March 2026, supported by earnings growth.
The Q1 performance further strengthened the bank’s earnings outlook following the successful completion of its recapitalisation programme in 2025.
The bank had earlier posted strong full-year results for 2025, recording growth across major income lines and balance sheet metrics.
According to its audited financial statements, gross earnings rose by 45.6 per cent from N1.04 trillion in 2024 to N1.52 trillion in 2025. Interest and similar income increased from N803.1 billion to N1.11 trillion, while fees and commission income grew by 44.7 per cent to N113.4 billion.
Net profit after tax for the 2025 financial year stood at N242.4 billion.
Total assets expanded by 18.6 per cent to N10.46 trillion in 2025 from N8.82 trillion in 2024, while customer deposits increased by 16.1 per cent to N6.89 trillion.
Net loans and advances, however, declined slightly by 2.4 per cent to N4.28 trillion, which the bank attributed to repayments of matured obligations by customers.
The bank also strengthened its capital position in 2025, with eligible capital rising to N561 billion, above the N500 billion regulatory requirement for banks with international authorisation.
Capital Adequacy Ratio improved to 30.94 per cent in December 2025 from 23.47 per cent recorded in December 2024.
Commenting on the results, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Fidelity Bank Plc, Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe, said the Q1 2026 performance reflects the resilience and strength of the bank’s business model.
She stated that the successful recapitalisation exercise and the bank’s ongoing expansion had positioned Fidelity Bank for stronger growth and improved returns.
“We are on a stronger footing and confident that we will set new growth records that are reflective of our legacy and the future we are working on,” Onyeali-Ikpe said.
Africa’s Global Bank, United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, has deepened its longstanding relationship with the academic community and reaffirmed its commitment to innovation, youth empowerment, and nation-building by commissioning the UBA Innovation Hub and Business Office at the University of Lagos (UNILAG).
The landmark facility was commissioned by the Group Chairman, UBA, Tony Elumelu, represented by Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Oliver Alawuba, supported by other senior executives of the bank and members of the university leadership, led by the Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos.
The commissioning marks another defining chapter in the enduring relationship between UBA and one of Nigeria’s foremost institutions of higher learning. The project also reflects UBA’s historic connection with the University of Lagos and Nigeria’s education ecosystem.
UBA was the first bank to establish a campus branch in Nigeria in the 1960s, pioneering financial inclusion and institutional banking support within the nation’s higher education environment.
Adding a personal dimension to the occasion, UBA Group Chairman, Tony Elumelu, himself an alumnus of the University of Lagos, described the commissioning as both symbolic and strategic.
“Returning to my alma mater for this commissioning makes this moment particularly meaningful. Universities remain the birthplace of ideas, innovation, and future leadership. Through this investment, UBA is reaffirming its belief in young people and in the role institutions like the University of Lagos will continue to play in shaping Africa’s future.”
He added that UBA’s philosophy of empowering people and building institutions remains central to its growth agenda across Africa.
The Vice Chancellor, Professor Folasade Tolulope Ogunsola, who emphasised that Elumelu remains “a son of the university”, commended UBA for sustaining a relationship built on impact, innovation, and institutional support.
“The Group Chairman of UBA, Mr Tony Onyemaechi Elumelu, CFR, one of Africa’s most celebrated entrepreneurs and philanthropists, is, in the truest and most meaningful sense, a son of this University,” Ogunsola said.
Ogunsola continued, “The intellectual rigour, the ambition, and the broadness of vision that he would go on to demonstrate as he transformed a struggling bank into a pan-African institution of global stature, that fire was sharpened here.”
The newly commissioned four-floor complex has been designed as a shared platform that promotes collaboration between academia and industry. Under the arrangement, UBA will operate its dedicated Business Office within the facility, providing direct access to innovative banking services, financial advisory services, enterprise support, and engagement opportunities for students, faculty, and the wider university community. The remaining floors of the complex will serve broader institutional and developmental purposes for the University’s use.
Also speaking, UBA’s Group Managing Director/CEO, Oliver Alawuba, noted that the Innovation Hub and Business Office represent an intentional investment in talent, enterprise, and future economic transformation.
“UBA continues to create platforms that connect knowledge with opportunity. This facility will provide students and the university community access to ideas, networks, innovation support, and financial services that help unlock potential and prepare future leaders for a rapidly changing world,” he said.
In another major highlight of the event, the University of Lagos announced the renewal of UBA’s sponsorship and support for the Professorial Chair in Finance, further strengthening collaboration between academia and industry and advancing thought leadership, research, and professional excellence in financial studies.
Alawuba stressed that the UBA Professorial Chair remains the bank’s most enduring academic contribution.
“Our most enduring academic contribution remains the UBA Professorial Chair of Finance, established in January 1972 as the first-ever Finance Professorial Chair in a Nigerian university. It was designed to strengthen finance education, deepen banking research, and support thought leadership in Nigeria’s financial sector. I am pleased that the Executive Management of UBA has approved an additional ₦61.67 million to further strengthen the Endowment Fund for the Chair and sustain its work through the current professorship tenure.”
The commissioning of the UBA Innovation Hub and Business Office reinforces the bank’s broader mission of enabling sustainable development through strategic investments in education, entrepreneurship, technology, and human capital across Africa.
