United Bank for Africa Plc has approved the appointment of Ibrahim Puri as a Non-Executive Director, subject to approval by the Central Bank of Nigeria.

The appointment was disclosed in a regulatory filing signed by the Group Company Secretary, Bili Odum, on Thursday.

Commenting on the appointment, UBA Group Chairman, Tony Elumelu, expressed confidence that Puri’s experience and expertise would strengthen the bank’s board and contribute to its continued growth.

“I congratulate Ibrahim Puri on his appointment as a Non-Executive Director. The Board is confident that his extensive experience, depth of expertise and sound judgement will further strengthen the Board and contribute meaningfully to the continued growth and success of the Group,” Elumelu said.

Puri’s profile

Puri is a financial services and corporate executive with more than 35 years of experience spanning banking, fintech, telecommunications and the fast-moving consumer goods sector.

He previously served as an Executive Director on UBA’s board before retiring from the position in 2022. He currently serves as a Non-Executive Director on the boards of several companies, including Nigerian Breweries Plc and 9mobile, now known as T2.

He has also attended executive programmes at Harvard University, the University of Oxford and Euromoney London.

Puri holds a Master’s degree in Banking and Finance from Bayero University, Kano, and has expertise in areas including structured finance, negotiation, board governance and turnaround management.

UBA awaits CBN approval for half-year results

Meanwhile, UBA disclosed that its board had approved the group’s audited financial statements for the half-year ended June 30, 2026.

The bank said the financial statements were approved at a board meeting held on August 13 but remained subject to CBN approval before they could be published.

The lender said investors and other stakeholders would be notified once the regulatory approval was received.

“Consequently, the Bank’s closed period will continue to run until 24 hours after the 2026 Half-Year Audited Accounts and Financial Statements are released to the public,” the bank stated.

UBA operates across 20 African countries, as well as the United Kingdom, United States, France and the United Arab Emirates, providing retail, commercial and institutional banking services to more than 50 million customers globally.