Africa’s Global Bank, United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, has reinforced its position as one of the continent’s leading financial institutions after emerging as Nigeria’s Best Bank for Retail and Sustainability Leadership (ESG) at the prestigious 2026 Euromoney Awards for Excellence.

The awards, presented yesterday at The Peninsula London in the United Kingdom, celebrate banking institutions that demonstrate outstanding financial performance, innovation, customer impact and sustainable business practices.

The double recognition underscores UBA’s leadership in driving sustainable finance while expanding access to innovative banking solutions for millions of customers across Africa.

According to Euromoney, UBA distinguished itself through significant strides in Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) performance, including the launch of a Green Financing Facility to support households and businesses transitioning to renewable energy.

A N5 billion financing programme, in partnership with the Bank of Industry to empower women-owned businesses, and its long-term commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.

The publication also highlighted UBA’s efforts to embed sustainability within its operations through the deployment of solar-powered energy solutions across 50 branches and comprehensive ESG capacity-building initiatives that have trained more than 16,000 employees across the Group.

In the retail banking category, Euromoney recognised UBA’s continued expansion as one of Africa’s largest retail banking franchises. The Bank grew its customer base to over 37 million by the end of 2025, while retail revenue more than quadrupled to N429.5 billion.

The awards also acknowledged UBA’s continued digital innovation, particularly the enhancement of its award-winning AI-powered chatbot, LEO, which became Africa’s first AI-powered banking platform to facilitate cross-border money transfers in local currencies via the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS).