UBA Drives Sustainable Investments In Lifestyle, Entertainment, Empowers Africa’s Creative Entrepreneurs

By Olawale Jelili 

Africa’s Global Bank, United Bank for Africa (UBA), has pledged to continue to be at the forefront of empowering the creative industry across the continent. 

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The Group Deputy Managing Director, Muyiwa Akinyemi who said this noted that with the Bank’s visionary commitment towards nurturing and promoting talent, UBA continues to make significant investment in the creative sector, such as its lifestyle and entertainment channels, REDTV and REDRadio.

Muyiwa made this submission while presenting the keynote address at the opening ceremony of the Nigerian International Film and TV Summit (NIFSTV) 2023 in Lagos on Tuesday, where he explained that the bank’s strategic endeavours have proven to be transformative catalysts, propelling the creative sector’s growth and enabling Africa’s talents to shine brightly on the global stage.

He also shared his insights on the importance of empowering the next generation of creative entrepreneurs and elevating industry standards.

“For us at UBA; we pride ourselves as Africa’s global bank, which is why we invested over a billion naira to set up the RED TV and RED Radio in 2017. These investments have been catalysts for growth, and a platform that we have set up for entrepreneur’s creative minds, to launch themselves into the market. 

“As you can testify, UBA’s digital online television channel, has emerged as a dynamic platform championing African creativity, encompassing diverse fields such as music, fashion, film, and more. UBA’s dedication to providing emerging artists, filmmakers, and designers with the means to reach broader audiences, both locally and internationally, has solidified its role as a driving force behind the African entertainment industry’s global recognition”, Muyiwa stated.

He told participants at the NIFSTV summit, that through these bold initiatives, UBA has demonstrated that it is not merely a bank but is also a powerful enabler of talent and a pioneer in fostering Africa’s vibrant creative ecosystem, as it remains poised to be the vanguard of Africa’s cultural expression and artistic ingenuity.

The NIFSTV 2023 summit brought together professionals, stakeholders, and enthusiasts from the Nigerian film and television industry, fostering discussions on innovation, collaboration, and sustainable growth.

A special Panel Session was also held at the event which focused on the Importance of Insurance and Financial Management for Film Professionals, and the panelists included the Head SME Banking, UBA, Babatunde Ajayi; Regional Head, West, Heirs Insurance Group, Gbenga Osibodu; and the Creative Director, RED TV, Olufemi Bamigbetan. It was moderated by the Founder and convener of the NIFSTV, Ijeoma Onah.

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This endeavor underscores UBA’s role as a transformative agent and a key contributor to Africa’s artistic and cultural renaissance, and as the bank continues to invest in the creative industry, it remains poised to be the vanguard of Africa’s cultural expression and artistic ingenuity.

United Bank for Africa is one of the largest employers in the financial sector on the African continent, with 25,000 employees’ group wide and serving over 35 million customers globally. Operating in 20 African countries and in the United Kingdom, the United States of America, France and the United Arab Emirates, UBA provides retail, commercial and institutional banking services, leading financial inclusion and implementing cutting edge technology.

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