Freetown, 1st October 2026- United Bank for Africa (UBA) Sierra Leone has announced the departure of its Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Mohamed Alhajie Samoura, who stepped down effective September 30, 2026, after nearly six years leading the bank.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Samoura said he was leaving the position to pursue other endeavours, bringing to a close a banking career in Sierra Leone that spans almost two decades.
Samoura made history as the first Sierra Leonean to lead UBA Sierra Leone since the bank began operations in the country in 2008, and the first Sierra Leonean to head the local subsidiary of a Nigerian-owned bank.
Reflecting on his tenure, he described leading the bank as the highlight of his professional career and expressed gratitude to the institution’s board, staff, customers and stakeholders for their trust and support.
During his leadership, UBA Sierra Leone recorded significant growth in profitability, customer acquisition and overall institutional development. The bank reported a record Profit Before Tax of NLe988.9 million in the 2025 financial year, representing an 18.6 percent increase over the previous year, while adding more than 70,000 new customer accounts. In 2024, the bank achieved a 71 percent increase in Profit Before Tax, with total assets rising to NLe5.2 billion.
The bank’s customer base also expanded to more than one million, while UBA Sierra Leone was named Bank of the Year 2023 by The Banker, a publication of the Financial Times Group.
Among the milestones achieved under Samoura’s leadership was the completion of a modern branch facility in Kono, scheduled to open before the end of 2026. He was also recognised as Best Corporate Leader of the Year at the 10th African Ovation Awards in April 2026.
Samoura highlighted youth development as one of the most rewarding aspects of his tenure, noting that more young Sierra Leoneans rose to executive positions within UBA during his leadership than at any other point in the bank’s history.
He credited the bank’s achievements to the collective efforts of the Board of Directors, Executive Committee and staff, whose dedication and professionalism, he said, helped strengthen the institution and improve customer service.
The outgoing CEO also thanked the UBA Group leadership, the Bank of Sierra Leone, shareholders, customers, partners and other stakeholders for their continued confidence in the bank.
Samoura was substantively appointed Managing Director and CEO in 2024 after previously serving as Acting Managing Director and Executive Director for Business Development. He said arrangements had been put in place to ensure a smooth transition pending the appointment of a substantive successor by the board.
Despite his departure, Samoura expressed confidence in the future of UBA Sierra Leone, saying the bank remained well positioned to continue advancing financial inclusion, enterprise development and growth within Sierra Leone’s financial services sector.
“I remain a proud ambassador of the UBA brand and will carry forward the lessons, relationships, friendships and impact of these remarkable years with deep appreciation and humility,” he said.
He concluded by thanking Sierra Leoneans, customers and members of the UBA family for their support, wishing the bank continued growth and success in the years ahead.
