By Abbas Nazil
United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc has launched a five-day Climate Action Week to promote environmental awareness, responsible waste management and sustainable financing across its African and international operations.
The campaign, running from October 26 to 30, 2026, is themed “Banking on Africa’s Climate Future” and seeks to encourage employees, customers and other stakeholders to adopt environmentally responsible practices in their workplaces, homes and communities.
The initiative began with the installation of waste segregation bins across UBA offices and measures to reduce the use of single-use plastics at the bank’s head office.
UBA Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Oliver Alawuba, said climate change was increasingly affecting everyday life across Africa, with consequences for food prices, energy demand, flooding, businesses and household livelihoods.
He explained that the campaign was designed to promote practical actions that could help reduce environmental impacts while strengthening awareness of the role individuals and financial institutions could play in addressing climate challenges.
According to Alawuba, climate risks have become important considerations for business resilience, risk management and long-term economic growth, making sustainability an essential part of responsible business operations.
Throughout the campaign, the bank plans to distribute educational content through its media and digital platforms to explain the causes and effects of climate change and encourage responsible environmental behaviour.
The campaign will highlight the links between climate change and issues such as rising food costs, increased energy consumption and urban flooding, while promoting plastic recycling, proper waste disposal and reduced reliance on single-use plastics.
UBA staff volunteers are also expected to participate in a group-wide environmental clean-up exercise on November 7 in major cities across the bank’s markets.
In Nigeria, the exercise will take place in Lagos, Kano and Port Harcourt as part of efforts to encourage community participation in environmental protection.
The bank said its campaign would also draw attention to the role of financial institutions in supporting clean energy, sustainable agriculture and other environmentally responsible businesses through appropriate financing solutions.
Alawuba said UBA’s Green Finance initiative was intended to support eligible businesses investing in cleaner technologies and more sustainable operations.
He added that helping customers access financing suited to their needs could strengthen the resilience of the private sector while creating opportunities for sustainable economic growth across Africa.
As part of its stakeholder engagement activities, UBA will sponsor Climate Convergence Week in Lagos on October 30, where it is scheduled to deliver a presentation and participate in a panel discussion on sustainable finance and Africa’s transition to a climate-resilient economy.
The bank is also set to join the Sustainability Professionals Institute of Nigeria (SPIN), a move expected to strengthen its Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) expertise and support employee development in sustainability-related fields.
UBA said the Climate Action Week forms part of its wider sustainability strategy, which integrates environmental responsibility into business operations, employee engagement, community initiatives and financing activities.
The initiative comes as businesses across Africa face growing pressure to consider climate-related risks and support efforts to build more sustainable economies.
UBA operates in 20 African countries and maintains a presence in the United Kingdom, the United States, France and the United Arab Emirates.
The bank has about 25,000 employees and serves more than 45 million customers globally, giving its sustainability initiatives broad reach across its markets.
Through the campaign, UBA aims to encourage more environmentally responsible practices among its workforce, customers and communities while promoting the role of sustainable finance in supporting Africa’s long-term climate resilience.
