According to sources reaching C4D Media Newspaper, Mohamed Alhajie Samoura, who was formerly, the Acting Managing Director (MD)/Chief Executive Officer(CEO) of the United Bank of Africa(UBA) Sierra Leone has been approved by the Central Bank of Sierra Leone to the enviable position of substantive MD/CEO. With extensive knowledge and a wealth of experience working in the banking sector for about 20 years, Mohamed Alhajie Samoura has risen through the ranks working for many banking institutions in the country. The appointment of Samoura is not a surprise because, over the years, he has worked assiduously to jealously protect his name and integrity. Samoura has left a footprint on the san of history by becoming the first Sierra Leonean to head a Nigerian bank. His success cannot be unconnected with his hard work, commitment, diligence, result-oriented intuitiveness, and exemplary leadership for which he has been celebrated, respected, and treasured as a man who has stood out from the crowd and made a difference.
Read full details from United Bank of Africa (UBA) Sierra Leone Limited :
Bank of Sierra Leone approves Mohamed Alhajie Samoura as Managing Director/CEO of UBA Sierra Leone.
Freetown, 30th January 2024: United Bank for Africa (UBA) Sierra Leone Limited is pleased to announce the approval of Mohamed Alhajie Samoura by the Central Bank of Sierra Leone as the substantive Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer of UBA Sierra Leone.
The “No Objection” approval was received from the Bank of Sierra Leone on 30th January 2024 following the approval of his nomination by the UBA Group Office and the UBA Sierra Leone Board of Directors in December 2023. Having served as the Acting MD/CEO since February last year, Mohamed is the first Sierra Leonean to attain such a position in the bank since the bank started its operations in Sierra Leone in 2008.
Mr. Samoura is the 6th MD/CEO of UBA Sierra Leone after his predecessor, Usman Isiaka who is now serving the bank as Deputy MD/CEO of UBA New York.
Since he assumed the seat, Mr. Samoura has continued to build on the legacies of his predecessors, he continues to double the figures in revenue, profitability, deposits, account opening, and risk assets. He is very passionate about the UBA Brand and has been an exceptional promoter of Sierra Leonean businesses.
Until he was appointed the substantive Managing Director /Chief Executive Officer of UBA Sierra Leone, he was the Executive Director of Business Development in the bank and Acting MD/CEO of UBA Sierra Leone. Mohamed is a seasoned banker with close to two decades of working experience in the Sierra Leone banking industry.
Mohamed has several accolades and most recently was named amongst the 100 Most Outstanding Executives in Sierra Leone by the Sierra Ovation Awards. During this short period and under his leadership, the UBA Sierra Leone team won the 2023 prestigious Bank of the Year awards from the Banker’s Financial Times UK Africa Branding Agency celebrating Banking Excellence in Sierra Leone/recognition of UBA Sierra Leone as Top 10 Financial Institutions & Mr. Samoura Top 5 Financial Leaders in Sierra Leone. African Ovation Awards for recognition of outstanding customer service, contribution, and commitment to the social and economic development of Sierra Leone. A total of 10 Executive Management staff were awarded the 2023 Sierra Leone Leadership Award honouring the Top 100 Emerging Leaders in Sierra Leone 2023. The Salone Times Newspaper one of the leading news agencies in Sierra Leone named him amongst the 10 Most Influential Sierra Leoneans in 2023. The bank also won Climate Positive Bank of the Year awards at the 7thEnvironmental Care Awards organized by Shout Climate Change Africa partnering with Sierra Leone Meteorological Agency and Freetown City Council and many more accolades on record.
He holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History and Political Science and a master’s degree in Business Administration and Marketing.
Mr Samoura has a wealth of experience and understanding of the country’s corporate and institutional banking landscape.
The appointment of Mr. Samoura as Managing Director is in line with the UBA Group’s strategic focus on domesticating the bank’s governance, products, and services to meet the local requirements of the host economy in all its 20 presence countries in Africa and further supporting human capital development across the continent as we expose the local staff to international standards and global best practices.
Operating in twenty African countries and in the United Kingdom, the United States of America, France, and the United Arab Emirates, United Bank for Africa provides retail, commercial, and institutional banking services, leading financial inclusion and implementing cutting-edge technology. UBA is one of the largest employers in the financial sector on the African continent, with over 30,000 employees group-wide and serving over 37 million customers globally. UBA Sierra Leone currently has over 400,000 customers with a strong vision to be the undisputed leading and dominant financial services institution in the banking sector in Sierra Leone.
