UBA's Oliver Alawuba Advocates for Economic Resilience

Oliver Alawuba, the Group Managing Director of United Bank for Africa Plc and Chairman of the Body of Bank CEOs in Nigeria, addressed the 19th Annual Banking and Finance Conference of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria in Abuja. He called for deliberate policies and stronger public-private collaboration to build a resilient Nigerian economy.

Alawuba stated that resilience should be embedded across various sectors, including infrastructure and human capital. He pointed out ongoing global economic challenges and commended the Federal Government and the Central Bank of Nigeria for improved policy coordination.

Alawuba revealed that 33 banks successfully mobilised N4.65tn during a recent recapitalisation exercise, which enhanced balance-sheet transparency and liquidity for financing infrastructure projects. He also noted that tier-one banks invested over N119bn in digital infrastructure and cybersecurity in the first quarter of 2026.

President Bola Tinubu, represented by Wale Edun, urged financial institutions to invest in job-creating enterprises, while CBN Governor Olayemi Cardoso reaffirmed the central bank's commitment to financial stability.