Sola Yomi-Ajayi, the CEO of the United Bank for Africa(UBA)’s operations
in the United States, has been appointed to the Export-Import Bank of
the United States (US EXIM) Committee on Sub-Saharan Africa for
2020/2021. Established by the US Congress, the Sub-Saharan Africa
Advisory Committee provides guidance and advice regarding US EXIM
policies and programmes designed to support the expansion of financing
for US manufactured goods and services in Sub-Saharan Africa.
The committee is composed of prominent members of the US business
community and Ms. Yomi-Ajayi is the sole representative of an African
institution. UBA USA is the only Sub-Saharan African deposit-taking
institution regulated in the United States and provides a unique
portfolio of banking solutions to corporates, governments,
multilaterals, and development organisations transacting with Africa.
UBA USA can assist in trade finance, treasury, foreign exchange,
transaction management and lending, drawing on UBA’s seventy-year
heritage and unique pan-African network.
UBA’s Group Chairman, Tony O. Elumelu, stated that the appointment is
recognition of the role UBA has played over decades in promoting and
supporting large and small businesses in all its 20 countries of
operations in Africa.
“The appointment of Sola, as a member of the US EXIM Advisory Committee
for Sub-Saharan Africa is welcome news. UBA’s global network of offices
in New York, London and Paris, permits us to be the preferred financial
intermediary between Africa and the rest of the world. Our mission at
UBA is fully aligned with the objectives of the US EXIM’.
The EXIM President and Chairman, Kimberly A. Reed, who congratulated
Yomi-Ajayi and the other appointees said, “With six of the 10
fastest-growing economies in the world and more than one billion
consumers, Africa is poised to play a pivotal role in the global
economy. Supporting US exports to sub-Saharan Africa is one of our top
priorities at EXIM, and my deepest congratulations goes to the new
members of the EXIM Sub-Saharan Africa Advisory Committee”.
Others appointed into the committee are Daniel Runde, who chairs the
committee, C. Derek Campbell, Chief Executive Officer, Energy and
Natural Resource Security, Inc; Scott Eisner, Senior Vice President,
African Affairs, U.S. Chamber of Commerce; Rebecca Enonchong, Founder
and Chief Executive Officer AppsTech; Lori Helmers, Executive
Director/Americas Export Finance Head, JPMorgan Chase Bank; Florizelle
Liser, President and Chief Executive Officer, Corporate Council on
Africa; Mima Nedelcovych, Chairman, AfricaGlobal Schaffer; EE Okpa,
Principal, The OKPA Co; Marise Duff Stewart, Director Customer and
Industry Relations, Progress Rail, a Caterpillar Company and Paul
Sullivan, President – International Business, Acrow Bridge.
EXIM is an independent federal agency that promotes and supports
American jobs by providing competitive and necessary export credit to
support sales of U.S. goods and services to international buyers.
United Bank for Africa Plc is a leading Pan-African financial
institution, offering banking services to more than twenty-one million
customers, across over 1,000 business offices and customer touch points,
in 20 African countries. With banking operations in the United States
of America, the United Kingdom and presence in France, UBA is connecting
people and businesses across Africa through retail; commercial and
corporate banking; innovative cross-border payments and remittances;
trade finance and ancillary banking services.
