Business
Full Year 2023: UBA Gross Earnings Rises by 143% YoY, Profit hits N757.7bn

….Declares N2.30 kobo Final Dividend
….Total Assets Rise by 90.2% to N20.65 trillion
….Shareholders’ Funds Hits N2.0tn, achieving an impressive growth of 120.2%.
In another unprecedented performance, Africa’s Global Bank, United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, has released its audited financial results for the full year ended December 31, 2023, showing exceptional and impressive performance across all its major indicators.
The 2023 financials, filed by the Bank at Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGx) on Monday, showed an impressive leap in gross earnings, as it grew from N853.2 billion recorded at the end of 2022 to close at N2.08tn; representing a strong 143 percent growth.
The banks’ total assets also rose remarkably by 90.22 percent, doubling the N10 trillion mark, to close at N20.65 trillion in December 2023; up from N10.86 trillion in 2022. This leap remains a very significant achievement and milestone in the history of the financial powerhouse.
Despite the highly challenging global economic and business environment, UBA recorded a laudable profit before tax, with an exponential growth of 277 percent, to close the year under review at N758billion, rising from N201 billion recorded at the end of the 2022 financial year; while profit after tax (PAT) grew by 257 percent from N170 billion in 2022, to N608 billion in the year under consideration.
Consequently, UBA Group Shareholders’ Funds rose from N922 billion as at December 2022 to close the 2023 financial year at N2.0tn, achieving an impressive growth of 120.2%, compared to prior year.
In the year under consideration, UBA Group cost-to-income ratio dropped from 59.2%, in 2022, to 37.2 per cent pointing at the Group’s improving efficiency.
In fulfilment of the promise made by the UBA Group Chairman, Tony Elumelu, to shareholders at the last Annual General Meeting, the Bank proposed a final dividend of N2.30 kobo for every ordinary share of 50 kobo, for the financial year ended December 31, 2023. The final dividend is subject to the ratification of the shareholders during its upcoming annual general meeting (AGM).

Also worthy of note, UBA recorded a 61.3 percent growth in loans to customers, moving up to N5.5 trillion in 2023, whilst customer deposits improved by 90.31 percent to N14.9 trillion, compared to N7.8 trillion recorded in the corresponding period of 2022, reflecting increased customer confidence, enhanced customer experience, successes from the ongoing business transformation programme and the deepening of its retail banking franchise.
Commenting on the results, UBA’s Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Oliver Alawuba, said: “I am very pleased with the unprecedented results achieved by our Group in FY2023. The Group made a profit before tax of N758billion, from N201 billion in the prior year. The balance sheet also grew to N20.7trillion from N10.8trillion in the previous year.

He said, “The Group’s shareholder’s funds crossed N2trillion from N922bn in 2022, whilst total assets crossed the N20 trillion mark (90.2% YoY growth). The Group is well positioned for further business expansion in FY2024 having closed FY2023 with Capital Adequacy Ratio of 32.6%.”
He added that the bank’s diversified business model (Pan-African and International strategy) is justified by the contribution of its Ex-Nigeria business to the Group’s results and reinforces its resolve to expand our market share of customers, funding, digital and transaction banking businesses across Africa.
“Driven by our customer service and execution-led delivery model, we will continue to expand our market share and create value for our shareholders and meet the expectations of our various stakeholders,” the GMD stated.
UBA’s Executive Director, Finance & Risk Management, Ugo Nwaghodoh, said the 2023 full year was a particularly eventful year, with galloping inflation and currency depreciation ravaging key markets, amidst pockets of regional conflicts and security challenges.
“I am delighted however at the strong growth in earnings and profitability recoded in the year. The Group conservatively set up significant impairment reserves against its overall risk assets portfolio considering the latent impact of the macroeconomic headwinds on our credit portfolio. Consequently, Cost of Risk grew to 3.09% from 0.63% in the prior year,” Nwaghodoh noted.
On the expectation for the 2024 financial year, he said, “The Group remains fervently committed to sustainable growth and maintaining its strong compliance and risk management practices culture even as we drive our business through the next phase of growth.”
United Bank for Africa Plc is a leading Pan-African financial institution, offering banking services to more than thirty-five (35) million customers, across 1,000 business offices and customer touch points in 20 African countries.
With presence in New York, London, Paris and Dubai, UBA is connecting people and businesses across Africa through retail, commercial and corporate banking, innovative cross-border payments and remittances, trade finance and ancillary banking services.
Business
FG Enforcing Compulsory “No Tax ID, No Bank Account Policy”
Section 8 (2) makes Tax ID mandatory for any person to operate a bank account or get involved in insurance, stocks or allied services in the country, once the Act comes into force from January 1, 2026.

The Federal Government is making it compulsory for all taxable Nigerians to obtain a compulsory Taxpayer Identification (Tax ID) when the new tax Acts come into force in January 2026.
The policy will be enforced by the Nigeria Revenue Service (formerly Federal Inland Revenue Services).
Ohibaba.com gathered that the Tax ID is contained in the provisions of the Nigeria Tax Administration Act, 2025, Part II Section 4 of the legislation which was recently signed by President Bola Tinubu.
It says: “Every Taxable person shall register with the relevant Tax Authority and obtain a Taxpayer Identification Card (Tax ID) for the purpose of compliance with tax obligations.
“Every ministry, department or agency of the federal, State or Local government shall register and obtain a Tax ID.”
It said that Section 6 (1) of the Act also requires Non-resident persons who supply taxable goods and services to any person in Nigeria to obtain Tax ID, as they shall be obligated to pay tax in Nigeria.
Section 7 (3) empowers the relevant tax authority to issue Tax ID to a person who should have applied for an ID but failed to do so.
The relevant tax authority is also empowered to refuse to issue a Tax ID to an applicant based on information available to it.
In such a case, the authority shall inform the applicant of its decision within five working days.
Section 8 (1) (c) makes Tax ID a condition for entering into any contract with the Federal and State governments.
Section 8 (2) makes Tax ID mandatory for any person to operate a bank account or get involved in insurance, stocks or allied services in the country, once the Act comes into force from January 1, 2026.
The Act, however, provides an allowance to suspend or deregister the Tax ID, if the holder ceases to undertake trade or business, either temporarily or permanently.
Section 10 (1) provides, “Where a taxable person temporarily ceases to carry on a trade or business in Nigeria, the taxable person shall notify the relevant tax authority of its intention to suspend its registration for tax purposes within 30 days of such temporary cessation of trade or business.(2)
“The Tax authority shall classify the Tax ID as ‘dormant’ and place it on suspension.
(3) “Where a taxable person permanently ceases to carry on trade or business in Nigeria, the taxable person shall notify the relevant tax authority of its intention to deregister for tax purposes within 30 days of such cessation of trade or business.
Business
Nigeria to host Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF) 2027
With Lagos preparing to welcome the world in 2027, the IATF mission continues its quest to deepen trade, unlock investment, and connect Africa to itself and the world at large.

• IATF 2025 opening ceremony , 4 September, Algiers.
Nigeria has been officially picked to host the 2027 edition of the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF).
This was announced during the opening ceremony on Thursday in Algiers, with calls for African countries to accelerate growth in Intra-African trade and boost economic integration.
At the event, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, received the IATF flag on behalf of the country as Lagos was confirmed host city for the continental fair in 2027.
The Chairman of the IATF Advisory Council and former President Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, said, “Since its inception, the IATF has rotated across our continent, leaving its unique legacy and improving with each host nation.
“Today we continue the proud tradition by announcing the country that will host IATF2027.
“With Lagos preparing to welcome the world in 2027, the IATF mission continues its quest to deepen trade, unlock investment, and connect Africa to itself and the world at large.
Organised by the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) in collaboration with the African Union Commission (AUC) and the AfCFTA Secretariat, the IATF brings together continental and global stakeholders to showcase goods and services, facilitates direct engagement and exchange between businesses and between businesses and government entities.
The fair was established to accelerate the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement which aims to create a single market for goods and services across Africa.
Business
OPSN Faults Repeated Summons of Private Companies by National Assembly
OPSN members comprise the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture(NACCIMA), Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA), Nigeria Association of Small Scale Industrialists(NASS), and Nigeria Association of Small and Medium Enterprises(NASME).

The Organised Private Sector of Nigeria (OPSN) has expressed deep concerns over incessant invitations, summons by the committee of the National Assembly on the activities of private companies.
OPSN members comprise the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture(NACCIMA), Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA), Nigeria Association of Small Scale Industrialists(NASS), and Nigeria Association of Small and Medium Enterprises(NASME).
The Association of Food, Beverages and Tobacco Employees(AFBTE) and other 25 sectoral employers ’ associations also decried this situation.
The concern was conveyed through an open letter sent to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Tinubu, which was published on Thursday, September 4, 2025.
The group said that the practice has continued unhindered despite judicial pronouncements, including a pending appeal before the Supreme Court, which affirms that the powers conferred on the National Assembly in line with sections 88 and 89 of the 1999 Constitution do not extend oversight powers to private companies.
They cite judicial precedents in the case of DHL International Nigeria Limited vs Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and ORS (FHC/ABJ/CS/261/2018).
The court unequivocally held that private companies do not fall within the category of persons contemplated by sections 88 and 89 of the 1999 Constitution.
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