A change of guard has just taken place at Africa’s global bank, UBA. Mr. Oliver Alawuba has been appointed as the Group Managing Director/CEO of United Bank for Africa Plc.
He just took over from Mr. Kennedy Uzoka who has completed his tenure as GMD/CEO. Mr Alawuba takes on his new position from August 1, 2022, subject to approval by the Central Bank of Nigeria.
The appointment was announced in a statement by Mr. Ramon Nasir, the Bank’s Head of Media and External Relations.
With his appointment as Group Managing Director, Mr. Alawuba will oversee all the Group’s banking operations across its twenty-country African network and globally in the United Kingdom, the United States of America, France and the United Arab Emirates.
Oliver Alawuba joined UBA in 1997 and has held a series of senior positions, including as the CEO of UBA Ghana, the CEO of UBA Africa and most recently, as Group Deputy Managing Director.
UBA’s Group Chairman, Tony Elumelu, said of the new appointment: “Oliver has extensive experience in Nigeria and our African network and is well equipped to advance our pan-African and global strategy. I have no doubt that Oliver will build on the legacy of Kennedy Uzoka, who has exemplified transformational leadership by championing a customer-first philosophy; launching our twentieth operation in Africa, UBA Mali; acquiring a wholesale banking licence for UBA UK in the United Kingdom; and opening our fourth global operation, UBA Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates”.
On his part, Mr. Alawuba expressed his commitment to his new role as Group Managing Director saying that, “I am grateful for the opportunity to lead this great institution and would like to thank the UBA Group Chairman and the members of the Board of Directors for the confidence they have put in me to deliver the mandate.”
Equally appointed, according to the statement, is Mr. Muyiwa Akinyemi, as Deputy Managing Director. He joined UBA in 1998, as a Senior Banking Officer in UBA’s Energy Bank, and has served the Group in Nigeria and the broader Africa network for twenty-four years.

Other executive appointments are:
1. Sola Yomi-Ajayi, Executive Director, Treasury and International Banking. Sola has been with the Group since 2004 and has considerable international experience, culminating in her appointment as CEO of UBA America.
2. Ugochukwu Nwagodoh, Executive Director, Finance and Risk Management. Ugo joined the Group from PwC in October 2004. He has since held a series of significant roles in the areas of performance management, compliance, financial control and reporting.
3. Alex Alozie, Executive Director and Group Chief Operating Officer, who joined the Group in 2019 and has driven the Group’s digital transformation and operational efficiencies.
4. Emem Usoro, Executive Director, North Bank. Emem joined the Group in 2011 and has served in a series of senior regional appointments across Nigeria, covering the retail, corporate and public sectors.
The Board also announced the retirement of the following Executive Directors, who have completed their tenure, many of whom will continue to serve the broader Group upon regulatory approval of a holding company structure – Kennedy Uzoka, Uche Ike, Chukwuma Nweke
Ibrahim Puri, Chiugo Ndubisi.
Also announced was the retirement of a Non-Executive Director, Ambassador Joe C. Keshi, OON, who served as Vice-Chairman of the board. This also takes effect from August 1, 2022 after a completion of his tenure of twelve years.
The Group Chairman congratulated the retiring Directors on the completion of their tenors for their exemplary records.
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 35 million customers globally. Operating in twenty African countries and in 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.