U Bank receives global recognition with three prestigious awards

ISLAMABAD: U Microfinance Bank (U Bank), Pakistan’s fastest growing microfinance bank, has added another victory to its long list of achievements by bagging three internationally recognised awards by Asian Banking & Finance (ABF) Awards, 2022.

For its performance in 2021-2022, U Microfinance Bank has won the Asian Banking & Finance Wholesale Banking Award 2022 for Domestic Initiative of the Year – Pakistan, and the Asian Banking & Finance Retail Banking Award 2022 for Microfinance Bank of the Year - Pakistan (from the Domestic Retail Bank entry) and Islamic Banking Initiative of the Year – Pakistan.

These accolades pay tribute to U Microfinance Bank’s tireless endeavours over the past seven years towards increasing financial inclusion in the country and serving the unbanked population. Establishing itself as the fastest growing microfinance bank in the industry, U Bank is expanding its network this year by an additional 100 branches nationwide, warranting it to be awarded as the Microfinance Bank of the Year, 2022 – Pakistan by ABF.

U Bank is also one of the microfinance banks in Pakistan to introduce Islamic banking services providing its clients with tailor-made, Shariah-compliant solutions for their financing needs, for which U Bank has won the award for Islamic Initiative of the Year – Pakistan.

Broadening it avenues, U Bank has successfully issued its first ever Social Impact Bond, to be used to finance loans for renewable energy, private schooling, low cost housing, and Small & Medium Enterprises (SMEs), primarily in rural Pakistan. This innovative social initiative was widely applauded by ABF, for which U Bank has been awarded with the Asian Banking & Finance Wholesale Banking Award 2022 for Domestic Initiative of the Year – Pakistan.

Upon receiving global appreciation, U Microfinance Bank’s President & CEO, Kabeer Naqvi, expressed his gratitude and stated, “The three prestigious ABF awards rewarded to U Bank bears testament to our efforts over the past year in achieving improved financial inclusion for the masses, and it gives us great honour to have received this recognition.

At U Bank, we take pride in being a mission-driven, customer-centric banking institution aimed at providing the best experiences for our wide spectrum of customers. Keeping this in mind, and despite economic instability in the country, we have incorporated six canvases into our core business model – significantly expanding our unique and innovative banking services- categorized as Rural Retail Banking, Urban Retail Banking, Islamic Banking, Digital Banking, Corporate Banking, and Corporate Finance & Investment Banking. These award wins give us renewed enthusiasm to continue to improve, innovate, and deliver out-of-the-box solutions that can help financially empower the underprivileged parts of Pakistan.”

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022