United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc has reinforced its commitment to tackling youth unemployment across Africa by recruiting and training over 700 young professionals through its Graduate Management Acceleration Programme (GMAP).
The latest intake brings the total number of beneficiaries of the initiative to more than 5,000 graduates since its inception, highlighting the bank’s strategic focus on building a strong pipeline of skilled professionals across the continent.
The graduation ceremony for the new cohort took place at the Landmark Events Centre on Thursday, drawing top executives, mentors, faculty members, and the graduating trainees. The event marked the culmination of an intensive training programme designed to prepare participants for leadership roles in the financial sector.
Speaking at the ceremony, UBA Group Chairman, Tony Elumelu, emphasized the critical role of young people in shaping Africa’s future. He encouraged the graduates to remain ambitious, disciplined, and committed to excellence, noting that institutional success depends on nurturing the right talent and aligning them with a clear vision.
Elumelu stressed the importance of building enduring systems within organisations, adding that sustainable success requires consistent investment in people and processes.
Also addressing the graduates, UBA’s Group Managing Director/CEO, Oliver Alawuba, shared his career journey and urged the new employees to see their roles as stepping stones to greater achievements. He maintained that leadership opportunities are open to those willing to grow and put in the necessary effort.
Alawuba further challenged the graduates to embody the bank’s core values of Excellence, Enterprise, and Execution, alongside its culture of Simplicity, Responsiveness, and Goal-orientation.
The newly inducted cohorts, 19 and 20, include 720 trainees, with women making up over 60 percent of the intake—an indication of UBA’s continued commitment to gender inclusion and empowerment.
UBA says it remains focused on developing Africa’s next generation of high-performing professionals, positioning itself as a key driver of youth development, financial inclusion, and sustainable growth across the continent.
