Africa’s Global Bank, United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, has released its audited financial results for the full year ended December 31, 2022, showing impressive performance across major indices. The 2022 financials, filed by the Bank at Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGx) on Wednesday, showed that gross earnings rose significantly to N853.2billion from N660.2billion recorded at the end of the 2021 financial year, representing a strong 29.2 percent growth. Total assets rose remarkably by 27.2 percent, crossing the N10trillion mark, to close at N10.9trillion in December 2022; up from N8.5trillion in 2021.
Despite the highly challenging global economic and business environment, UBA recorded a laudable profit before tax, with a 31.2 percent growth, to close the year under review at N200.8 billion, rising from N153.01 billion recorded at the end of the 2021 financial year; while profit after tax (PAT) grew by 43.5 percent to N170.2billion in 2022, compared to N118.7 billion recorded the year before. Consequently, UBA Group Shareholders’ Funds rose to N922.1billion, as at December 2022, achieving an impressive growth by 14.6%, compared to prior year.
In the year under consideration, UBA Group cost-to-income ratio dropped to 59.2%, from over 60% in prior year, pointing at the Group’s improving efficiency. In its usual tradition of rewarding shareholders, the Bank proposed a final dividend of 90 kobo for every ordinary share of 50 kobo, for the financial year ended December 31, 2022.
The final dividend which is subject to the ratification of the shareholders during its upcoming Annual General Meeting (AGM) will bring the total dividend for the year to N1.10 per share, as the Bank had paid an interim dividend of 20 kobo, based on its audited 2022 half year results. Also worthy of note, UBA recorded a 21.4 percent growth in loans to customers, moving up to N3.4 trillion in 2022, whilst customer deposits improved by 22.9 percent to N7.8 trillion, compared to N6.4trillion recorded in the corresponding period of 2021, 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 result, the Group Managing Director/CEO, Oliver Alawuba, said notwithstanding the tight and challenging operating environment, UBA continues to deliver significant performance. He said: “The Group delivered record headline earnings (+29.2%) and profitability (+31.2%) amid significant headwinds in markets where we are present and a heightened global risk environment.
