Business
Unity Bank Posts N33.9bn Gross Earnings in Nine Months, Grows Assets Base by 44%
Unity Bank Plc has declared gross earnings of N33.906 billion for the nine months’ period ended September 30, 2020 and also recorded a 44% asset growth during the period.
A review of the unaudited results released to the Nigerian Stock Exchange showed that the gross earnings of N33.906 billion represents an 8 per cent growth from N31.256 billion recorded in the same period in 2019.
The lender’s total assets rose significantly to N420.870 billion in the nine-month period ended September 30, 2020, from N293.052 billion in the corresponding period of 2019, representing a whopping 44% growth.
This is even as the Bank grew its bottom-line by 6% as Profit Before Tax, PBT moved up to close at N1.710 billion from N1.611 billion in 2019.
Profit After Tax, PAT equally grew by 6% to N1.573 billion compared to the N1.482 billion recorded in the same period in 2019.
Specifically, in the Q3, the lender declared a N590 million Profit Before Tax, PBT, representing another 6% increase from the N559.381 million recorded in the corresponding quarter of 2019.
This performance comes on the heels of the unmitigated impact of the global pandemic on the economy, which lingered throughout the quarter with its attendant headwinds that slowed down economic activities.
The lender also substantially grew its customers’ deposit portfolio to N332.362 billion from N257.691 billion for the same period in 2019, creating a 29 per cent increase, affirming the confidence reposed by its wide spectrum of the banking public. The lender, it was gathered, rolled out massive customer-centric products to the public especially in the retail space which accelerated the banking patronage during the period.
Commenting on the result, Unity Bank’s Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Mrs. Tomi Somefun welcomed the steady growth of the balance sheet especially from both assets and liability side of the business and across key performance indices.
She said that this has had sustained impact on the bottom-line, even as the Bank continues to innovate in its e-business product bouquet to target and support value chain business with robust technology and thus diversify its earnings base’’.
Looking ahead, Mrs. Somefun stated that “One of the areas that will define our strategic direction going forward is investment in alternative channels leveraging further deployment of resources in technology. COVID-19 gave us a chance to test the integrity and scalability of our technology, the IT infrastructure, and the electronic banking channels, and provided us an opportunity to see where we needed to improve and strengthen, knowing that the future of sustainable banking business is in alternative channels”.
The results can also be attributable to the Bank’s growing brand profile and leadership in agribusiness, especially having provided loans and financing to over one million smallholder farmers especially those in primary production and other value chain businesses in the agricultural sector.
During the period under review, the Bank enhanced and deepened its collaboration and partnership with major commodity associations including the Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN), Maize Farmers Association of Nigeria and the National Cotton Association of Nigeria (NACOTAN) to finance over 400 smallholder farmers’ crop production with its overall strategic intent of fostering food security, employment generation and aggregate economic welfare of citizens across the value chains.
The Bank also worked with processors and members of Millers’ Association of Nigeria to provide working capital through the CBN’s various intervention funds, while providing credit facilities to large number of input suppliers and vendors through the Anchor Borrower’s Programme.
In recognition of the above, Mrs Somefun added that the Bank will continue to focus on agriculture, while deepening business in various new markets that have been developed alongside to pull more resources and enhance multiple streams of income.
In the view of analysts, the consistent upward trajectory in the performance of the Bank as shown in Q1, H1 and Q3, 2020 results continue to reinforce growing market confidence as well as demonstrates the commitment and drive of the management to enhance shareholder’s value.
Access Bank Plc, a leading African bank, has received the IFC EDGE (Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies) Green Building Certification for its banking headquarters, called Access Tower, located in Oniru, Victoria Island, Lagos.
The EDGE Green Building certification program, supported by the Japan Government in Nigeria and globally funded by the UK Government’s Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), with initial funding from Switzerland’s State Secretariat for Economic Affairs, SECO, recognises Access Bank’s commitment to sustainable building practices and its efforts to reduce energy consumption, water usage, and embodied carbon in building materials.
Access Bank’s Head Office has achieved a 20per cent reduction in energy use, a 33per cent reduction in water use, and a 99 per cent reduction in embodied carbon in materials. The building features sustainability measures such as insulated roof, high-performance glass, fresh air pre-conditioning system, smart meters for energy, water-efficient faucets in bathrooms and kitchen, efficient water closets and low embodied carbon materials reflecting Access Bank’s commitment to environmental responsibility. The building implemented retrofits to meet the EDGE water standard by installing flow regulators in all their water closets, faucets and showers. These reductions in energy, water, and embodied carbon are expected to result in significant cost savings and a reduced environmental footprint for the Head Office.
Commenting on this feat, Gregory Jobome, Executive Director, Risk Management at Access Bank, said:
“At Access Bank, we have always understood that our purpose goes far beyond banking. We are architects of change, custodians of the future, and now, we stand proudly at the intersection of finance and environmental leadership. This building and this certification embody our vision to set a new standard for building, operating, and growing responsibly.
“Our collaboration with the EEN team was transformational, and together, we have shown that environmental performance and business performance are not rivals, but partners. We believe that in that partnership lies the future of banking, the future of corporate Africa, and ultimately, the future of our planet.”
The EDGE certification is a globally recognised standard for green buildings, designed to make buildings more resource efficient. The certification process involves a rigorous assessment of a building’s design and construction, including independent third-party audits, ensuring that it meets the highest standards of sustainability.
IFC’s EDGE program aims to promote green building practices globally by providing a standardised approach to designing and certifying resource-efficient buildings. The program has been utilised in nearly 200 countries, with over 100 million square metres in certified floor space, enabling developers worldwide to create buildings that reduce energy use, water consumption, and embodied carbon.
Globally, IFC collaborates with financiers, governments, developers, and building owners to accelerate green building development in emerging markets. In Nigeria, cumulatively, over 800,000 square meters of offices, homes, hospitals, retail stores, student accommodation, hotels, and mixed-use projects are EDGE-certified.
As the world celebrates International Women’s Day 2025, Africa’s Global Bank, United Bank for Africa (UBA) continues to reinforce its unwavering commitment to gender diversity, equality, and empowerment.
This year’s IWD global theme, “Accelerate Action”, aligns perfectly with UBA’s drive to champion inclusion and create meaningful opportunities for women in the workplace.
On Wednesday, the bank graduated its latest cohort of 1,138 Graduate Management Accelerated Programme (GMAP) trainees, out of which 666, representing an impressive 58% were women.
UBA’s Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Oliver Alawuba, who pointed this out during the graduation ceremony which was held in Landmark Event Centre, said the milestone is a testament to UBA’s continued efforts in fostering a workplace where talent thrives – regardless of gender, background, or status.
He maintained that UBA stands out as a financial institution that does not just talk about inclusion but lives it, adding that “With a female-dominated Board and Executive Management team, UBA has consistently demonstrated that gender parity is a key pillar of its success. Our commitment goes beyond policies – it is evident in the tangible opportunities we create for women at every level of the organisation.”
While celebrating the womenfolk for their contribution to the bank’s growth and success over the year, Alawuba stated “At UBA, we do not just celebrate women- we amplify them. We believe that an inclusive workforce drives innovation, excellence, and long-term success. The fact that the majority of our new graduate trainees are women underscores our commitment to nurturing female talent and accelerating their progress in the corporate world.”
UBA has long been a champion of gender empowerment, investing in initiatives that support female professionals, entrepreneurs, and communities. From its mentorship and leadership programs to its women-focused financial services, the bank continues to set the pace for gender inclusion in Africa’s financial sector.
UBA’s Group Head, Human Resources, Modupe Akindele explained that the bank is passionate about helping its staff grow, regardless of their gender. According to her, UBA celebrates the resilience, strength, and contributions of women everywhere and remains committed to ensuring that every woman has the support, resources, and opportunities needed to thrive.
She said, “Our goal with GMAP is to show young professionals that their dreams are valid right here in Africa. We are not just providing jobs; we are creating pathways to leadership, innovation, and impact. This programme ensures that young people whether male or female, see the immense possibilities that exist within UBA and the African financial sector at large.”
United Bank for Africa is one of the largest employers in the financial sector on the African continent, with 25,000 employees group wide and serving over 45 million customers globally. Operating in twenty African countries and the United Kingdom, the United States of America, France and the United Arab Emirates, UBA provides retail, commercial and institutional banking services, leading financial inclusion and implementing cutting edge technology.
Bulk Data service from Globacom has continued to garner patronage from more enterprise clients across the country owing to its immense benefits.
With the offering, Glo Enterprise users can gift data to other customers with the Bulk Data offering, a self-service site designed for data allocation. Through it, a specific quantity of data can be freely utilized for specific users’ navigation of a mobile application or website at no cost to the users of the application or website. The service is paid for by the enterprise client.
A school’s bucket data plan allows institutions to buy bulk data for students’ instructional purposes. The Plan is good for ninety days. In contrast, the Gifted Data Plan is good for 30 days. As many Glo subscribers as the sponsor desires may receive data gifts from the Bulk Data sponsor.
Depending on which Pack the gifting customer has subscribed to, a sponsor can equally gift data in 200MB, 500MB, 1GB, 2GB, 3GB, 4GB, 5GB, or 10GB amounts.
Globacom has built the solution so that each sponsor can tailor the SMS notification that is sent to the beneficiary regarding the provided data. This sets this product apart from others available on the market.
While the recipients of the Bulk Data giving can check their own balance by dialing the USSD code, *127*0#, on their own devices, the gifted plans can be tailored to the sponsor’s requirements and preferences.
Only businesses that purchase large quantities of data, including corporations and educational institutions, are eligible for the Bulk Data service.
