Sierra Leone: Central Bank Approves Mohamed Samoura As UBA MD/CEO

Sierra Leone’s central bank has officially approved Mohamed Alhajie Samoura as the Managing Director and CEO of UBA Sierra Leone. Serving in an acting capacity for a year, Samoura becomes the first Sierra Leonean to lead UBA’s local subsidiary since 2008.

The Bank granted the “No Objection” approval on January 30, 2024, for Mohamed Alhajie Samoura’s appointment as the Managing Director and CEO of UBA Sierra Leone. The approval followed the endorsement of Samoura’s nomination by the UBA Group Office and the UBA Sierra Leone Board of Directors in December.

Samoura took over from Usman Isiaka as the sixth MD-CEO of UBA-SL in the past sixteen years. Since assuming his role, Samoura has achieved substantial growth, doubling the bank’s revenue, profitability, deposits, account openings, and risk assets. His deep commitment to the UBA brand is evident through substantial investments in the local market.

With nearly two decades of experience in the Sierra Leone banking industry, has been recognized for his contributions. He was listed among the 100 Most Outstanding Executives in Sierra Leone by the Sierra Ovation Awards and Top 5 Financial Leaders. UBA Sierra Leone, under his leadership, received prestigious awards such as the 2023 Bank of the Year from the Banker’s Financial Times UK and the Climate Positive Bank of the Year at the 7th Environmental Care Awards.

He holds a Bachelor of Arts in History and Political Science and an MBA in Marketing, embodies UBA Group’s strategic focus on localizing governance, products, and services across its 20-country operations. This approach supports human capital development continent-wide, empowering local staff to adhere to global best practices.

UBA Group, with operations in twenty African countries, as well as the United Kingdom, the United States of America, France, and the United Arab Emirates, is a key player in retail, commercial, and institutional banking services. Positioned at the forefront of financial inclusion and technology, UBA, one of the largest employers in the African financial sector with over 30,000 employees globally, serves more than 37 million customers worldwide. UBA Sierra Leone, with over 400,000 customers, aspires to be the leading financial services institution in the country’s banking sector.