UMB wins Digital Bank of the Year as CEO bags African leadership honour
Universal Merchant Bank (UMB) has earned multiple recognitions on the continental banking stage, highlighting its ongoing transformation efforts and growing influence within Ghana’s financial services industry.
The accolades, which include honours for digital banking innovation, SME support and executive leadership, come as the bank pursues a strategic goal of positioning itself as one of the most reliable financial institutions in the country.
At the Africa Leadership Persons of the Year Awards, the Chief Executive Officer of UMB, Dr Philip Oti-Mensah, received the Special African Banking Leadership Commendation Award in recognition of what organisers described as steady stewardship and strategic leadership.
The award places him among a group of notable African leaders recognised at the ceremony, including President John Dramani Mahama, who was named African of the Year 2025, former President John Agyekum Kufuor, who received the Outstanding African Leadership Legacy Award, and Samuel Matekane, who was honoured with the African Inspirational Leadership and Good Governance Impact Award.
Other award recipients included Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, named African Political Leader of the Year; Esperança da Costa, African Female Leader of the Year; and Austelino Tavares Correia, African Lawmaker of the Year.
Institutional honours were also presented to organisations such as African World Airlines and Saxton Ghana Limited.
UMB’s presence among the awardees, organisers noted, reflects the bank’s growing reputation and influence in the region’s banking sector.
Digital banking recognition
In addition to the leadership honour, UMB was also named Digital Bank of the Year (Ghana) at the same awards platform.
The recognition acknowledges the bank’s investments in digital infrastructure designed to improve customer experience, strengthen operational efficiency and enhance governance in banking operations.
Industry observers say such investments have become increasingly important as financial institutions compete to meet rising demand for convenient, secure and technology-driven banking services.
SME banking excellence
UMB also received the Excellence in SME Banking Award at the 25th edition of the Connected Banking Summit – Accra 2026.
The summit, which has held 24 previous editions across Africa, the Middle East and Southeast Asia, has evolved into a major platform bringing together leaders in banking, financial services and insurance to discuss innovation and the future of finance.
The silver jubilee West Africa edition of the event was held under the theme “Next-Gen Finance West Africa: Resilient, Scalable & Customer-Centric.”
It attracted more than 300 chief executives, regulators, technology innovators and financial sector leaders who gathered in Accra to discuss strategies for strengthening the region’s financial ecosystem.
Delivering the keynote address, the Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, stressed that digital transformation in finance must be guided by accountability and public trust.
He urged financial institutions to ensure that technological innovation translates into practical benefits for businesses and underserved groups.
He emphasised that innovation in financial services should help expand opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises, women, youth, farmers and actors in the informal economy.
Against this backdrop, UMB emerged as one of the standout institutions at the summit, receiving recognition for its work in supporting small and medium-sized enterprises across Ghana.
Transformation strategy
The bank attributes its recent achievements to a structured transformation strategy focused on strengthening its workforce, modernising operations and expanding digital services.
Central to this approach is continuous staff development aimed at improving technical capacity and building a high-performance culture within the institution.
The transformation programme has also included major upgrades to customer engagement platforms and digital banking services.
Recent initiatives include the launch of the UMB SpeedApp, a redesigned mobile banking platform designed to deliver faster and more secure transactions, as well as a new corporate website that serves as an expanded digital gateway to the bank’s services.
UMB has also modernised its customer contact centre into a 24-hour support platform to ensure clients can access assistance at any time.
Leadership response
Reacting to the awards, Dr Oti-Mensah said the recognition reflected the collective efforts of staff and the confidence customers continue to place in the bank.
“These recognitions represent disciplined teamwork and the trust our customers place in us,” he said.
“To our customers — your confidence inspires us. To our staff — your professionalism delivers excellence daily. To our Board and Management — your steady guidance keeps us focused. And to prospective clients — we invite you to experience the reliability and service that earned these honours. Our journey is one of continuous improvement, purposeful innovation, and measurable impact.”
The recognitions, analysts say, come at a time when banks across Africa are accelerating digital transformation efforts while expanding support for small businesses to drive inclusive economic growth.