Universal Merchant Bank has secured continental recognition after being adjudged Excellence in SME Banking at the 25th Edition of the Connected Banking Summit in Accra. The honour affirms the Bank’s growing reputation as a trusted financial partner for Ghanaian enterprises and reinforces its broader transformation agenda anchored in discipline, innovation, and responsible growth.
The award adds to a string of recognitions that highlight the Bank’s steady progress under the leadership of Dr Philip Oti-Mensah. It also signals UMB’s expanding influence within Ghana’s banking sector at a time when digital innovation and enterprise support have become central to economic resilience.
Recognition at the Connected Banking Summit
The Connected Banking Summit has evolved into one of the most respected platforms for Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance leaders across Africa, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia. With 24 successful editions globally, the Silver Jubilee West Africa Edition was held under the theme “Next-Gen Finance West Africa: Resilient, Scalable & Customer-Centric.”
The event convened more than 300 chief executives, regulators, innovators, and technology leaders in Accra to deliberate on the future of finance in a rapidly digitising world. Discussions centred on governance, digital trust, customer inclusion, and scalable financial systems that can support the needs of SMEs, women, youth, farmers, and the informal sector.
Against this competitive backdrop, UMB emerged as a standout institution. Its Excellence in SME Banking Award reflects a deliberate strategy to empower small and medium-sized enterprises with tailored financial solutions, advisory services, and digital tools that improve access to capital and enhance operational efficiency.
A Transformation Anchored in People, Process and Technology
UMB’s success is rooted in a structured and holistic transformation journey. The Bank continues to invest in staff capacity building to deepen technical competence and cultivate a high-performance culture across all levels of the organisation. This internal strengthening ensures that customer-facing services remain consistent, reliable, and responsive.
At the same time, UMB is reshaping customer experience across all touchpoints. The launch of the new UMB SpeedApp represents a significant milestone in its digital evolution. The enhanced mobile banking application delivers faster, more secure, and intuitive banking services to individuals and businesses alike.
Complementing the SpeedApp is the rollout of a redesigned corporate website, which serves as a modern digital gateway for customers seeking seamless interaction with the Bank. In addition, the modernisation of the Contact Centre into a 24-hour engagement hub ensures that clients receive timely support whenever they need it.
These initiatives collectively reinforce UMB’s ambition to combine reliability with innovation, ensuring that customers enjoy a consistently excellent experience whether they engage digitally or visit a branch.
Leadership Recognition at Continental Level
UMB’s achievements at the Connected Banking Summit were complemented by honours at the Africa Leadership Persons of the Year Awards. At the prestigious ceremony, Dr Philip Oti-Mensah received the Special African Banking Leadership Commendation Award in recognition of his steady stewardship, strategic clarity, and long-term value creation agenda.
The Africa Leadership Persons of the Year Awards remain one of the continent’s most respected leadership platforms. They celebrate individuals and institutions whose measurable contributions shape Africa’s development trajectory.
On the night, several distinguished leaders were recognised, including John Dramani Mahama as African of the Year 2025, Samuel Matekane for African Inspirational Leadership and Good Governance Impact, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah as African Political Leader of the Year, Esperança da Costa as African Female Leader of the Year, and Austelino Tavares Correia as African Lawmaker of the Year. Institutional honourees included African World Airlines and Saxton Ghana Limited, among others.
UMB’s presence within this distinguished gathering signalled its growing credibility and relevance on the continental stage.
Commitment to Responsible Growth
Speaking after receiving the honours, Dr Oti-Mensah emphasised that the awards reflect collective effort and stakeholder trust.
“These recognitions represent disciplined teamwork and the trust our customers place in us,” Dr Oti-Mensah 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.”
Dr Oti-Mensah
The remarks underscore UMB’s ambition to become Ghana’s most reliable bank, built on integrity, resilience, and measurable impact.
Strengthening Ghana’s Enterprise Ecosystem
The SME sector remains a critical pillar of Ghana’s economy, contributing significantly to employment, innovation, and local value creation. By strengthening its SME banking franchise, UMB is positioning itself as a catalyst for inclusive growth.
The Bank’s strategy aligns with broader calls from policymakers and industry leaders for financial institutions to anchor digital transformation in governance, customer trust, and inclusion. At the Connected Banking Summit, the Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, urged financial institutions to ensure that innovation delivers tangible benefits to SMEs and underserved groups.
UMB’s recognition as SME Banking Champion therefore goes beyond an award plaque. It reflects a deliberate, measurable contribution to Ghana’s business ecosystem at a time when resilience and scalability are paramount.
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