Gbenga Ilemobayo
Two leading female executives of UBA Plc, Chioma Mang and Michelle Nwoga, were honoured during the ‘Seven Women Wonder’ category during the 2026 Guardian Women Festival, which brought together leaders from business, philanthropy and civil society to celebrate women driving meaningful change.
Their recognition continues to underscore UBA’s commitment to advancing female leadership at the highest levels of finance and service excellence on the continent.
Receiving the award, Mang and Nwoga spoke on how UBA is passionate about women’s growth and how it consistently creates platforms for women to lead, innovate and shape the future of African banking.
“I share this honour with every woman around the world, women in banking and finance and especially women at UBA, working tirelessly to reshape Africa’s financial landscape,” Mang stated.
“This award underscores what happens when women lead with empathy and execution. True customer experience begins with believing in the people you serve, and the outcome easily is excellence,” Nwoga added.
Other winners in the Seven Wonder Women category were the Chief Executive Officer, FSDH Merchant Bank, Bukola Smith; President, Nigerian Institute of Architects, Mobolaji Adeniyi; broadcaster, Debby Odutayo; Executive Director, Polo Luxury, Jennifer Obayuwana; Head of Sustainability and ESG, Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority, Nana Maidugi; Founder, Female Techpreneur Founders Lounge, Bukola Moyo Babajide; and Chief Executive Officer, Wakanow, Adenike Macaulay.
The Guardian Woman Festival’s 2026 concluded a month-long celebration of impact, leadership and purpose, bringing its closing spotlight onto collective social action by honouring charities and supportive organisations whose work continues to reshape communities across Nigeria and beyond.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, the Co-convener, Anita Athena Ibru, explained the festival’s deliberate shift towards recognising institutions alongside individuals
“It is important to recognise these teams of women quietly working behind the scenes. This serves as a reminder that when women get together, no matter their position, be it at executive or volunteer level, if they stay aligned with purpose, great things can happen. We are bringing to light the fact that women are often the key drivers behind charitable causes and advocates for social change,” she said.
This year’s edition expanded its recognition framework to amplify the often-unseen work of organised female-led philanthropy. The recognised philanthropies were: Small World, Child Advocacy Health Initiative, Global Survivors Fund, Mama’s Breakfast Club, and ARA NINI Health.
United Bank for Africa is one of the largest employers in the financial sector on the African continent, with 25,000 employees group-wide and serving over 45 million customers globally. Operating in twenty African countries, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, France and the United Arab Emirates, UBA provides retail, commercial and institutional banking services, leading financial inclusion and implementing cutting-edge technology.
