UBA Executive Outlined African Investment Strategy
Managers operating in emerging markets should track how institutional financing drives cross-border infrastructure development.
Updated on Sept. 27, 2026 in Corporate Finance
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United Bank for Africa (UBA) CEO Oliver Alawuba detailed the firm's approach to financing African infrastructure during a symposium at the United Nations General Assembly. The strategy emphasizes scaling commercially sustainable projects that bridge capital gaps in developing economies.
Why it matters
Operators face significant hurdles in securing capital for complex projects, requiring intermediaries to provide both liquidity and local expertise. UBA’s model highlights the shift toward using digital infrastructure to support regional enterprise and facilitate credit delivery.
UBA recently completed a $6.56 million telecommunications loan in Chad while maintaining a $45 million facility for Kenyan road infrastructure. Its digital platform, Leo, now supports over 6 million users across 20 countries, processing 16 million transactions annually.
The players
Oliver Alawuba
As the CEO of United Bank for Africa, he oversees the bank's strategy for connecting African enterprises with international capital.
United Bank for Africa
A pan-African financial services group that operates in 20 countries, providing commercial and investment banking services.
Oak Asset SPV
A special purpose vehicle that secured a $45 million loan facility from UBA to fund road construction initiatives in Kenya.
The details
UBA functions by de-risking projects through a mix of direct lending, syndicated financing, and guarantees. By integrating digital banking tools like Leo, which supports English, French, Portuguese, and Swahili, the bank standardizes financial infrastructure across diverse regulatory environments. This enables the firm to provide consistent contractor facilities and capital for large-scale development projects that require high levels of rigorous preparation.
Timeline
UBA initiated the telecommunications project in Chad in 2021.
The Chad telecommunications project was completed in 2025.
Oliver Alawuba spoke at the symposium on September 27, 2026.
Market Landscape
This move follows the pattern set by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) framework in prioritizing cross-border infrastructure to enable regional commerce. It underscores the competitive focus on institutionalizing capital flows into complex emerging market projects.
Operators in these regions should monitor the role of digital banking platforms in standardizing procurement and contractor payments. Businesses should evaluate whether their expansion strategy requires localized financial infrastructure or standardized international credit facilities.
The takeaway
Large-scale infrastructure relies on the bank's ability to bundle financing with digital operational support to ensure sustainability. Track the volume of automated transactions in your sector to determine if your service provider's infrastructure is scaling at the same pace as your project requirements.
Further reading
For more on capital allocation in emerging markets, read our latest analysis in Corporate Finance.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Punch Newspapers.
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Do you believe local African financial institutions are now the primary drivers of the continent's growth?
