Oliver Alawuba, Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of United Bank for Africa Plc, spoke in New York at the Forward Africa Leaders Symposium during United Nations General Assembly engagements and urged a stronger focus on turning Africa’s opportunities into investable projects, according to reports by Punch and Premium Times.
Speaking at a fireside chat themed “From Mandate to Impact,” Alawuba said projects must be commercially sustainable and backed by institutions capable of delivering on commitments. He argued that dependable revenues, credible institutions and accountable delivery are necessary to unlock sustainable capital for the continent. Punch, Premium Times
Drawing on examples from UBA’s work across Africa, Alawuba described how the bank connects enterprise with capital, expertise and financial infrastructure. He cited a US$6.56 million telecommunications modernisation loan in Chad, initiated in 2021, completed in 2025 and fully repaid, which he used to illustrate how a clearly defined development need can move from financing to completion when the right structure and accountability are in place. Punch, Premium Times
Alawuba also pointed to a US$45 million loan facility to Oak Asset SPV for road construction in Kenya, saying UBA’s role extended beyond project financing to government collections and contractor facilities that support the broader delivery chain. Punch, Premium Times
Beyond physical infrastructure, Alawuba highlighted digital finance as a growth enabler. He noted UBA’s Leo digital banking platform serves more than six million users across 20 African countries and processes over 16 million transactions annually, and supports English, French, Portuguese and Swahili. He said such services can help bridge language and market barriers while strengthening payment capabilities for everyday banking and cross-border commerce. Punch, Premium Times
Alawuba named additional markets where UBA has financed projects, including Burkina Faso, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Tanzania and Liberia, and said these activities range from direct lending and syndicated financing to guarantees and contractor facilities that support project operations. Punch, Premium Times
In comments reported by Premium Times, Alawuba urged stakeholders to prepare and de-risk a selected pipeline of viable projects, ensure execution capability is built into each investment and prioritise completing viable investments already under way while preparing the next generation of bankable projects in dependable power, digital connectivity and logistics. Premium Times
He closed his remarks by reaffirming the bank’s commitment to African enterprise, saying, “At UBA, Africa’s Global Bank, we bring the conviction that African enterprise belongs at the centre of Africa’s transformation, supported by strong institutions and productive global partnerships.” Punch, Premium Times
Featured image: Patrick Gruban , cropped and downsampled by Pine via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0.
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