United Bank for Africa (UBA) Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Oliver Alawuba, has reaffirmed the bank’s commitment to Africa’s transformation, declaring that the continent has moved beyond the stage of mere potential to the era of execution and delivery.
Speaking at the UAE–Chad Trade and Investment Forum, Alawuba said Africa’s narrative must now focus on results and implementation rather than untapped promise.
“For too long, the narrative around Africa has been that of potential. I stand before you to declare that the era of potential is over. We are now in the era of execution,” he stated.
His remarks positioned UBA not just as a financial intermediary but as an enabler of sustainable development and a strategic partner in driving continental competitiveness.
Chad Connect 2030: Blueprint for Competitiveness
Alawuba commended the visionary leadership of the Government of Chad and the strategic collaboration of the Government of the United Arab Emirates for the launch of the $30 billion “Chad Connect 2030” Plan.
The blueprint, comprising 268 projects across infrastructure, industrialization, and human development, sets a clear roadmap to transform Chad into a competitive economic hub.
Alawuba described it as a “commitment, not just a document,” designed to move Chad “from the periphery to the heart of global economic competitiveness.”
He added that the initiative represents a new development model where financial institutions, governments, and investors work together to unlock real economic value.
Financing the Future: Powering Growth through Bankable Structures
Addressing the theme “Financing African Competitiveness,” the UBA chief explained that Africa’s biggest challenge is not a lack of capital but a shortage of bankable structures and credible partnerships.
He posed key questions around the continent’s future financing: “How do we finance reliable power grids that will cover over 60% of Chad’s population? How do we expand access to clean water for 11 million people and build infrastructure that drives transformation?”
According to Alawuba, effective financing must go beyond disbursement to value-chain integration, ensuring that when roads are financed, they connect markets; when energy projects are developed, they drive both climate resilience and industrialization; and when digital payment systems are supported, they enable inclusive economic growth.
UBA’s Track Record: Financing at Scale across Africa
Alawuba showcased UBA’s footprint and execution record across the continent and beyond. With operations in 20 African countries and global financial hubs in New York, Paris, and the UAE, the bank continues to structure large-scale transactions that de-risk investments and attract capital at scale.
He listed major transactions demonstrating UBA’s capacity to fund transformative projects:
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Tanzania: $400 million commitment to the Julius Nyerere Hydropower Project, strengthening energy reliability.
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Nigeria: Over $700 million investment in the power sector post-privatization, and participation in the $10 billion Dangote Refinery syndication.
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Ghana: $115 million financing for road infrastructure to improve market connectivity and livelihoods.
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Kenya: $150 million participation in the securitization of petroleum levies for national road projects.
These examples, he said, “demonstrate UBA’s ability to deliver complex cross-border financing and unlock capital at scale.”
Inclusive Growth: Building Competitiveness from the Ground Up
Beyond infrastructure, Alawuba stressed that true competitiveness must be inclusive. UBA’s presence extends beyond capital cities into rural economies to ensure that no one is left behind.
He highlighted UBA’s reach in Chad, where the bank operates branches as far as 900 kilometers from N’Djamena, including locations such as Golberger, Mahmoud, and Besha.
“We are financing competitiveness from the ground up, ensuring that farmers, entrepreneurs, and small businesses who form the backbone of the economy have access to capital to grow,” he said.
According to him, UBA’s approach connects grassroots inclusion with national growth, bridging the gap between micro enterprises and large-scale development.
Unlocking Domestic Capital for Continental Transformation
Alawuba explained the need for African economies to mobilize domestic capital as a foundation for sustainable development.
Citing data from the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), he noted that over $4 trillion in domestic capital remains underutilized across the continent.
“The challenge is not the absence of money but the misalignment of domestic savings,” he stated. “Properly structured, these resources can catalyze external investments and strengthen Africa’s financial independence.”
UBA, he assured, remains ready to support all policies and frameworks that align domestic savings with development financing, including those emerging from the Chad Connect 2030 agenda.
Commitment to Chad and Beyond: Financing Africa’s Next Frontier
Reinforcing UBA’s long-term commitment to Chad, Alawuba revealed that the bank has already made direct investments of over $100 million in Chadian government securities and is leading several upcoming national projects.
This, he said, reflects UBA’s “deep and versatile partnership” with Chad’s development agenda and showcases its dual identity as both a builder of infrastructure and a champion of financial inclusion.
He reiterated that UBA will continue to strengthen partnerships that drive the region’s economic diversification, energy access, and industrial transformation.
Shared Vision and Collaboration: A Call to Collective Action
Alawuba concluded his address with a call for unity, quoting Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the founding father of the United Arab Emirates, whose philosophy of collective resilience continues to inspire Africa’s partnerships.
“Our forefathers lived and survived in a difficult environment. They succeeded because they recognized the need to work together — to combine their resources and their skills — and to stand together in the face of challenges.”
He urged governments, investors, and institutions to embrace this same spirit of collaboration to “power Chad’s transformation and, in doing so, unlock a new era of African competitiveness.”