Africa’s Global Bank, United Bank for Africa Plc, has trained and inducted 3,222 banking and finance professionals on the continent through its Graduate Management Acceleration Programme.
In a statement on Thursday, the lender said that the GMAP initiative, launched three years ago, is designed to equip young graduates with the necessary mentorship, training, and hands-on experience for leadership roles in UBA.
On Wednesday, a ceremony was held in Lagos to induct another cohort of 1,138 successful graduates who were absorbed by the bank following intensive training spanning several months of rigorous learning, testing the entrants’ dedication and resilience.
Present at the event were the UBA Group Chairman, Tony Elumelu; the Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Oliver Alawuba; and other board members, executive management, faculty members, mentors, families, and friends of the graduates.
Elumelu, in his speech, expressed excitement over the new graduates and highlighted the bank’s passion for youth empowerment in Africa while bridging the unemployment gap, which, according to him, remains one of the greatest challenges on the continent.
He said, “At UBA, we believe that Africa’s transformation is in the hands of young, dynamic, and ambitious professionals such as you. Through GMAP, we are not only shaping future leaders but also reinforcing our commitment to excellence and impact.”
To our graduates, remember that success is built on hard work, resilience, and a commitment to continuous learning. The world is waiting for you to make your mark.”
Alawuba also expressed immense pride in the graduates and reiterated the bank’s unwavering commitment to human capital development.
“This moment marks the beginning of a transformational journey that will shape your careers, your contributions to society, and Africa at large. The GMAP is a testament to our vision of empowering the brightest minds with the skills, knowledge, and mindset required to navigate the ever-evolving financial landscape,” Alawuba stated.
He pointed out UBA’s commitment to gender diversity and inclusion, highlighting that of the fresh 1,138 graduates, 666 (representing 58 per cent) are women, a reflection of the bank’s dedication to fostering an equitable and inclusive workplace.
Encouraging the graduates, Alawuba charged them to uphold UBA’s core values of excellence, enterprise, and execution while embracing the bank’s persona of simplicity, responsiveness, and goal orientation.
The ceremony featured inspiring testimonies from GMAP alumni who have made significant strides within the bank.
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. It operates in 20 African countries and the United Kingdom, the United States of America, France, and the United Arab Emirates.
