UBA graduates 1,138 new advanced banking professionals
By Seun Ibiyemi
The United Bank for Africa (UBA) marked the graduation of 1,138 young professionals from its Graduate Management Accelerated Programme (GMAP) during a ceremony held in Victoria Island, Lagos on Wednesday.
The graduating class, drawn from Nigeria, Tanzania, Ghana, Cameroon, Zambia, and Kenya, completed a six-month intensive training programme designed to equip them with essential skills for the banking and financial services sector.
With 700 trainees graduating in 2023 and 398 in 2024, the latest cohort brings the total number of professionals trained under the GMAP initiative to 3,222.
The graduates will be assigned to various departments, including Sales, Credit Analysis, Group Finance, and Treasury, where they will contribute to operational efficiency and drive strategic growth within the bank.
Speaking at the ceremony, UBA’s Group Chairman, Tony Elumelu, congratulated the graduates, referring to them as his newest colleagues. He described the training as a transformational experience, aimed at shaping their perspectives and preparing them to drive innovation in the financial sector.
Elumelu engaged the graduates in an interactive session, addressing their questions and listening to their suggestions. He reiterated UBA’s commitment to empowering young talent across Africa and stressed the importance of resilience, hard work, and leadership for career advancement.
Highlighting infrastructure deficits, unreliable power supply, and security concerns as major challenges impeding Africa’s progress, he urged the graduates to remain committed to excellence and innovation.
“We will remain competitive but demand performance. Reinvention is key, and maintaining the status quo is not an option,” he said.
UBA’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Oliver Alawuba, commended the graduates for their discipline and resilience in completing the rigorous training programme.
He expressed appreciation to their families and trainers for their support and encouraged the graduates to uphold UBA’s core values, including excellence, enterprise, and execution, alongside simplicity, responsiveness, and a goal-driven mindset.
According to Alawuba, the GMAP programme reflects UBA’s dedication to developing Africa’s brightest talents and equipping them with the skills and knowledge necessary to drive economic transformation across the continent.
“Since its inception, GMAP has produced 3,222 dynamic professionals, who are making meaningful contributions across different departments of the bank,” he said.
He also highlighted the bank’s commitment to gender diversity, revealing that women comprised 58% (666) of the graduating class.
Alawuba reassured the graduates of numerous career growth opportunities within UBA, noting that many former GMAP trainees had advanced to leadership roles within the organisation.
“At UBA, we are more than a bank — we are an institution dedicated to transforming Africa,” he said.
Two GMAP alumni, Nneoma Chikere (2023), a Profit Centre Manager, and Gbolahan Adeyemi (2022), a Relationship Officer in the Corporate Banking Directorate, shared their experiences and encouraged the graduates to embrace boldness and innovation in their careers.
Several outstanding trainees were recognised for their exceptional performance: Nansy Olikeze was named Overall Best Trainee; Collins Chekuba secured second place; Owumi Omagbemi and Olusaseyi Awofade took third and fourth places, respectively.
Other award recipients included Yahaya Ham, Glory Ahmed, Fathait Yusuf, and Betty Dosumu, who were recognised for their excellence in different categories.
This graduation underscores UBA’s unwavering commitment to nurturing young talent, driving digital transformation, and reinforcing its position as a leading financial institution in Africa.
