374 young professionals from eight Africa countries graduate from UBA’s accelerator management programme

The United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc has expanded its talent pipeline with the graduation and induction of 374 young professionals from eight African countries.

In a statement on Sunday, the bank said the latest cohort of its graduate management accelerator programme (GMAP) comprised 223 women and 151 men.

Of the 374 graduates, 345 are from UBA Nigeria, while 29 are from the bank’s operations in Guinea, Tanzania, Kenya, Mozambique, Uganda, Zambia and Côte d’Ivoire.

UBA said GMAP is designed to equip young professionals with the skills and knowledge required to build careers in the banking sector through mentorship, technical training and hands-on experience.

The bank said the latest graduation brings the number of young professionals who have completed the programme to more than 5,000.

Tony Elumelu, UBA group chairman, said developing the next generation of professionals would be critical to the bank’s future.

“As future leaders of UBA, people like you give me confidence that if we hand over to your generation, UBA will be safe,” Elumelu said.

He urged the graduates to protect their passion and pursue hard work, discipline and excellence throughout their careers.

Elumelu also said customer service would remain a key differentiator in banking as technology makes financial products increasingly similar.

“Products can be commoditised, but service never can, because there is always a differentiator in how you serve and how you create,” he said.

Oliver Alawuba, UBA group managing director (GMD) and chief executive officer (CEO), described the graduates’ certificates as a commissioning rather than a conclusion.

“You came from different countries, with different experiences and disciplines, but today you have graduated as one UBA family, united by one ambition, to build Africa’s future,” Alawuba said.

He urged them to approach every posting as an opportunity to demonstrate excellence, regardless of whether it was their preferred assignment.

Alawuba also charged the graduates to learn faster than the world changes, treat trust as their most valuable asset and convert their potential into performance.

UBA said GMAP combines technical banking knowledge with practical training in areas including product design, trade finance and customer experience.

The bank said the programme is part of its broader commitment to developing talent and preparing a new generation of bankers to contribute to Africa’s growth.