As Africa’s young population continues to grow, the need for skilled and adaptable leaders has never been more urgent. Through its Graduate Management Accelerator Programme (GMAP), the United Bank for Africa is investing in young African professionals by building the excellence, enterprise and execution needed to thrive in a changing business environment and shape the continent’s future. Chiemelie Ezeobi reports
“Excellence, enterprise and execution are the three things I am taking back home to Zambia to implement — putting the customers first. Being here in Nigeria has been a great experience and being at GMAP is prestigious. It took a lot of persistence and hard work. Thank you, UBA.”
Those were the words of Thomas from Zambia, as he graduated last week Thursday from the Graduate Management Accelerator Programme (GMAP), United Bank for Africa’s flagship talent development initiative, which continues to prepare young professionals for leadership roles within the financial institution and the wider African business environment
For Thomas, whose reflection captured the wider purpose of GMAP, the graduation was more than the end of an intensive training programme. It was the beginning of a new phase in a career shaped by lessons gathered from across borders, cultures and professional experiences.
Like Thomas, 373 other young professionals also graduated from the GMAP and were inducted into the workforce, marking the completion of Cohort 21 of GMAP, increasing the more than 5,000 already existing alumni and creating a growing pool of professionals within what UBA describes as the UBA Tribe.
Building Leaders Beyond Borders
The ceremony at the Landmark Events Centre in Lagos brought together young professionals from Nigeria and seven other African countries where the bank operates
The composition of the graduating class reflected UBA’s pan-African structure. Of the 374 graduates, 345 were from Nigeria, while 29 came from UBA operations in Guinea, Tanzania, Kenya, Mozambique, Uganda, Zambia and Côte d’Ivoire.
Beyond the numbers-223 women and 151 men, the programme offered a meeting point for young Africans with different backgrounds and experiences. That diversity became part of the training itself, giving participants opportunities to work with colleagues from different cultures and understand how business can be approached from different perspectives.
For an organisation operating across multiple African markets, that experience has practical value. The bank is not simply preparing employees to work within individual country operations; it is developing a workforce capable of collaborating across borders and responding to the realities of an increasingly interconnected African economy.
From Training To Responsibility
At the graduation, UBA Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Oliver Alawuba, challenged the new graduates to see their certificates as the beginning of responsibility rather than the conclusion of training.
“You came from different countries, with different experiences and disciplines, but today you have graduated as one UBA family, united by one ambition, to build Africa’s future,” Alawuba told the graduates.
He reminded them that their first posting might not necessarily be their preferred destination, but urged them to approach every assignment with commitment.
“Your first posting may not be your preferred destination, but make it your platform and give it your best. No assignment is too small to reveal a great attitude, and no role is too modest for excellence,” he said.
Service as the Differentiator
UBA Group Chairman, Mr. Tony Elumelu, brought another dimension to the conversation, focusing on the customer.
Why you may ask? As technology continues to reshape banking, financial products and services are becoming increasingly similar. Digital platforms and other technological tools can be adopted by competitors, making it harder for banks to rely on products alone as a competitive advantage.
For Elumelu, the answer lies in service.
“Products can be commoditised, but service never can, because there is always a differentiator in how you serve and how you create,” he said.
He further explained that as banks increasingly adopt similar technologies, the real distinction would come from how those technologies are deployed to improve the customer experience.
Elumelu also used his interaction with the graduates to address the uncertainties that often accompany the beginning of a career. In responding to their questions, he drew from his experience to discuss workplace pressures, difficult situations and the importance of maintaining a positive attitude.
He encouraged them to remain resilient and see challenges as opportunities to learn and grow, adding that “As future leaders of UBA, people like you give me confidence that if we hand over to your generation, UBA will be safe”.
An Investment in Africa’s Talent
The significance of GMAP extends beyond UBA’s immediate staffing needs.
Africa has one of the world’s youngest populations, while its economies continue to face the challenge of creating opportunities for a growing workforce. For businesses, this creates both a responsibility and an opportunity: developing skilled people who can participate meaningfully in economic growth. UBA’s investment in GMAP reflects that wider need.
The programme combines formal training with mentorship and practical exposure, giving participants an understanding of the demands of the banking industry while developing the leadership and professional skills required to operate in a competitive environment.
The more than 5,000 professionals who have passed through the programme represent a growing network of talent shaped within UBA’s African operations.
The Real Test Begins
The applause, photographs and presentation of certificates marked the close of the ceremony, but not the end of the journey.
The 374 graduates now move into different roles and markets, carrying with them the expectations attached to the training they have received.
For some, like Thomas from Zambia, the next step is already clear: take the lessons home and turn them into action, with the customer at the centre.
His decision to identify three words — excellence, enterprise and execution — as the lessons he would take back to Zambia reflects the broader philosophy behind GMAP because through GMAP, UBA is investing in that human capital and preparing young professionals not simply to occupy positions, but to grow into leaders capable of shaping the bank, its customers and the wider African economy.