UBA lost ₦1.14 billion to fraud in 2024 but still recorded a ₦766.6 billion after-tax profit according to its latest audited financial statements.

The losses stemmed mainly from electronic fraud and unauthorized transfers, reinforcing the ongoing challenge Nigerian banks face in combating financial crimes.

UBA reported that fraudulent activities were tied to transactions worth ₦4.9 billion ($3.15 million) in 2024, with about 23% of those resulting in actual financial losses. Electronic fraud was the biggest culprit, leading to losses of ₦805 million ($518,000), while fraudulent transfers cost the bank ₦314 million ($202,000), accounting for 88% of the total value lost in such incidents.

While these losses are minimal compared to UBA’s record-breaking annual profit, they serve as a reminder that even the most successful financial institutions are not immune to fraud. The bank’s profit after tax jumped by 26% from ₦607.7 billion ($391 million) in 2023, demonstrating strong financial performance despite these setbacks.

This disclosure is UBA’s first since 2012, coming at a time when Nigerian banks are under growing pressure to tighten security measures. In Q3 2024 alone, Nigerian banks collectively lost ₦10.1 billion ($6.7 million) to fraud, though this was a notable 76.4% drop from the previous quarter, as reported by the Financial Institutions Training Centre (FITC). However, fraudsters are becoming more sophisticated, making it an ongoing battle for banks. The FITC report also highlighted a sharp increase in external fraud involvement, which rose by 70.4% between Q2 and Q3 2024, while staff-related fraud jumped by 54% during the same period.

UBA, which is one of the top banks in Nigeria, maintained in its financial statements that “there is no fraud involving management or other employees who could have any significant role in the bank’s internal control.”

This surge in fraud cases comes amid broader concerns in Nigeria’s financial sector. In January, the Central Bank of Nigeria instructed NIBSS to debit the settlement accounts of commercial banks that receive fraudulent funds, a move aimed at encouraging stricter internal controls and reducing illicit transactions.

UBA’s decision to publicly disclose its fraud losses signals a shift towards greater transparency in Nigeria’s banking sector. Many banks still prefer to keep such incidents under wraps to avoid reputational damage. In 2023, only 60 out of 163 financial institutions in Nigeria reported fraud cases, according to the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS). As financial crimes become more sophisticated, banks and regulators face the dual challenge of tightening security measures while maintaining customer confidence.