United Bank for Africa Plc has moved to solidify its position as the primary financial bridge for Nigerians abroad, strengthening its collaboration with the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission to convert migration trends into structured economic growth.
The partnership was reaffirmed during a high-level strategic visit to the bank’s United Kingdom office on Monday, where UBA’s Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Oliver Alawuba, hosted a delegation led by the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NiDCOM, Abike Dabiri-Erewa.
The engagement comes at a pivotal moment following the launch of UBA’s specialised Diaspora Banking platform, a digital ecosystem designed to move the conversation beyond basic remittances towards long-term wealth creation.
Speaking on the bank’s mission to integrate global Africans into the domestic economy, Oliver Alawuba emphasised that the diaspora represents more than just a source of monthly transfers; they are a sophisticated class of investors.
“With UBA, you have a financial partner that is with you, that understands what you are going through, and that can support you to make sure you realise your aspirations, both here and in the country,” Alawuba stated.
He further challenged Nigerians living abroad to look past the limitations of their host countries and recognise the untapped potential within the African continent: “You are not limited here; you have opportunities on the continent, and we want you to make good use of them. That is where banking, and we at UBA, become the connecting point that you need to access the opportunities back home.
Whether you like it or not, the returns are high in Africa, and we are here to help you navigate that space.”
Abike Dabiri-Erewa, responding to the bank’s initiatives, praised the resilience of the Nigerian community in the UK and globally. She noted that the collaboration with UBA is essential for shifting the international spotlight away from negative stereotypes towards the success stories of Nigerian professionals and entrepreneurs.
“Many of you here are the real game-changers,” Dabiri-Erewa remarked. “For years, it has been wonderful engaging Nigerians all over the world. When I started, it felt like we only heard the bad stories, not the good ones. What we have tried to do internationally is to tell and celebrate the good stories. We have Nigerians doing well all over the world, and they are in this room. We must continue to celebrate you”, she added.
The discussions highlighted UBA’s unique capacity to facilitate cross-border payments and provide diaspora enterprises with direct access to African markets. With a footprint spanning 20 African countries, as well as the UK, the USA, France and the UAE, UBA is leveraging its 45-million-customer base to drive financial inclusion at a massive scale.
The new Diaspora Banking platform is expected to serve as the technical backbone for this partnership, allowing Nigerians abroad to manage mortgages, equity investments and business portfolios with the same ease as local customers.
As the meeting concluded, both parties pledged to align public policy with private-sector innovation, ensuring that “Diaspora Capital” becomes a permanent pillar of Nigeria’s industrial and economic development agenda.
