Africa’s Global Bank, United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, will hold the newest installment of its quarterly UBA Business Series, focusing on how companies can use everyday customer feedback to develop technology solutions tailored to Africa’s needs. The event, scheduled for Thursday, 16 July 2026 at 11:00 a.m. (WAT), will bring together founders, investors and builders to discuss what it takes to design products that fit local realities—rather than simply importing models that worked elsewhere.
Event details and theme
- The session will be themed “Building for Africa’s Realities: Turning Consumer Feedback into Technology-Driven Solutions.”
- It is planned to run live across UBA’s digital channels, allowing participants to take part virtually.
- Interested viewers can follow the discussion through UBA’s official platforms, including the bank’s Group YouTube channel.
Speakers and focus of discussion
The program will feature speakers who say they have built for African markets first-hand, including rapper and entrepreneur M.I Abaga; Ashim Egunjobi, a venture capitalist and co-founder of Octerra Capital; and Femi Aluko, co-founder and chief executive of Chowdeck. The discussion will be hosted by Adaora Mbelu, a media entrepreneur and founder.
Panelists are expected to share their own routes into building consumer platforms, the way they decide to back founders, and the importance of staying close to customers to refine products in a fast-changing market. The emphasis is on continuous listening and iteration—using direct consumer input to guide product choices and technology development.
UBA’s message on listening, adapting and building
In remarks ahead of the event, Alero Ladipo, UBA’s Group Head for Brands, Marketing and Corporate Communications, said the edition reflects the bank’s support for entrepreneurs and businesses contributing to growth across Africa.
“The best African businesses are not guessing what their customers want, they are listening, adapting and building accordingly,” Ladipo said. She added that the Business Series is intended to make that discipline accessible to entrepreneurs, while creating a space for candid discussions on product development, technology and growth.
“Through this edition of the UBA Business Series, we want to put that discipline within reach of every entrepreneur, and create a platform where honest conversations about product, technology and growth can take place. When our businesses build for Africa’s realities, the whole continent benefits.”
Growth of the Business Series and UBA’s footprint
UBA says the quarterly Business Series has developed into a major knowledge-sharing platform aimed at giving entrepreneurs, professionals and business leaders practical insights, tools and strategies to create sustainable enterprises and manage an evolving business environment.
With more than 25,000 employees and over 45 million customers worldwide, UBA is among the largest employers in Africa’s financial services sector. The bank operates across 20 African countries and also in the United Kingdom, the United States, France and the United Arab Emirates, offering retail, commercial and institutional banking services while pursuing financial inclusion through technology-led innovation.
