The Food Bank and Giving Back initiative by UBA Foundation has delivered critical support to more than 100,000 individuals across Nigeria and 19 other African nations. Between November 2025 and January 2026, the Foundation distributed essential items and cash gifts worth millions of naira and dollars. This effort aimed to ease the financial pressures often felt during the year-end and new-year period.
UBA Foundation is the corporate social responsibility arm of United Bank for Africa Plc. Its mission focuses on fostering hope and resilience in underserved communities. Through this latest outreach, the Foundation reaffirmed its commitment to consistent, continent-wide humanitarian action.
In Nigeria, the Food Bank and Giving Back drive reached every geopolitical zone. Beneficiaries included orphanages, internally displaced persons (IDP) camps, and vulnerable households. Specific locations included the Daughter of Mercy Mother of Mary Orphanage Home in Abia, the Trinitarian Foundation in Ebonyi, and The Destitute Home in Okobaba, Lagos. Others were Oyiza Orphanage in Oyo, Itsoghena Orphanage in Edo, Enoima Children Home in Akwa Ibom, Yekope Orphanage in Kogi, and UMCN Orphanage in Taraba. The Foundation also supported Kebbi Children’s Home, an orphanage in Dutse, Jigawa, and IDP camps in Niger and Borno States.
Across Africa, the same model was replicated with equal impact. Countries such as Benin Republic, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Congo Brazzaville, Democratic Republic of Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Mozambique, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia all received tailored assistance. In total, hundreds of thousands of people benefited from food packs, school supplies, hygiene kits, and direct cash support.
Bola Atta, Managing Director/CEO of UBA Foundation, personally visited several sites, including The Destitute Home in Lagos. There, she handed out non-perishable food and educational materials to both children and adults. She emphasized that compassion must translate into action. “At UBA Foundation, we believe that true development begins with compassion and action,” she said. “Through our various Food Bank and Giving Back initiatives, we are not only providing nourishment but also restoring hope.”
She added that these interventions aim to support cognitive and physical well-being. “We equip people not just with tools, but with the essential nourishment needed to learn, grow, and thrive,” she explained. Moreover, the Foundation sees this work as part of a broader promise to Africa: to act responsibly, show up consistently, and leave no community behind.
Importantly, the Food Bank and Giving Back drive is just one part of UBA Foundation’s long-standing philanthropy. Other flagship programs include the National Essay Competition, Read Africa Project, Tree Planting for Sustainability, health outreaches, Each1 Teach 1, and Kindness Connect. Together, these initiatives target four core pillars: education, environmental sustainability, economic empowerment, and special community projects.
As a result, UBA Foundation continues to play a vital role in socio-economic development across the continent. By combining immediate relief with long-term empowerment, it ensures that aid creates lasting change. Moving forward, the Foundation plans to expand its reach—especially in conflict-affected and rural areas—where basic needs remain unmet.
In conclusion, the Food Bank and Giving Back initiative exemplifies how strategic corporate citizenship can uplift entire communities. With coordinated action across 20 African countries, UBA Foundation proves that generosity, when paired with structure and scale, can ignite real transformation.
