United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc has appointed former executive director Ibrahim Ajimasu Puri as a Non-Executive Director, bringing a veteran banker with more than 35 years of experience back to the lender’s board.
The appointment was approved at UBA’s board meeting on August 13, 2026, but remains subject to approval by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), according to a regulatory filing signed by Bili A. Odum, the bank’s Group Company Secretary and Legal Counsel.
Puri previously served on UBA’s board as an Executive Director before retiring in 2022 after a 12-year tenure. His professional experience spans banking, financial technology, telecommunications and fast-moving consumer goods, giving him exposure across several sectors relevant to UBA’s expanding financial services operations.
He currently serves as a Non-Executive Director on the boards of Nigerian Breweries Plc and 9mobile. He also has expertise in areas including structured finance, negotiation, corporate governance and business turnaround management, according to UBA’s disclosure.
UBA Group Chairman Tony Elumelu welcomed Puri’s return, saying the board was confident that his experience, expertise and judgement would strengthen its oversight and contribute to the group’s continued growth.
The appointment comes as Nigerian banks operate under heightened regulatory scrutiny following the sector’s recapitalisation programme and as lenders invest heavily in technology, payments and expansion across African markets. For UBA, Puri’s return also adds institutional memory to a board overseeing a group with operations across 20 African countries and international financial centres including the United Kingdom, United States, France and United Arab Emirates.
The board decision was made alongside another important regulatory process. UBA said it had approved its audited financial statements for the six months ended June 30, 2026, subject to CBN approval. The bank said it would notify the Nigerian Exchange and investors once the regulator gives clearance for publication.
That means investors are watching two related developments: the regulatory clearance of UBA’s half-year accounts and the approval of Puri’s return to the board.
Until the CBN approves the appointment, Puri’s position remains subject to regulatory clearance. If approved, his return will restore a familiar banking executive to UBA’s board at a time when governance, capital strength and strategic execution remain central to investors’ assessment of Nigeria’s largest lenders.
