UBA Ghana has entered into a strategic alliance with one of Africa’s revolutionary pay-TV company, Gateway Broadcasting Services (GBS). The partnership would open the doors of UBA Ghana to the valued customers of GBS. They would benefit greatly from the alliance because they will be able to pay their subscriptions at any branch of UBA Ghana nationwide. UBA (Ghana) is a subsidiary of United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, the largest financial services group in West Africa. The group’s assets are in excess of US$14 billion and it has more than six million customers across West Africa. A press statement jointly signed by the two companies say, Africa’s global bank, UBA Ghana has developed a branch foot-print and delivery network that has ensured that the bank’s services are always within reach of valued customers. And in line with the bank’s positioning statement and strategic intent, UBA Ghana has a footprint of 16 fully networked branches over 3 years in Accra, Tema, Kumasi and Takoradi, where it provides banking services to individuals, small and medium scale businesses while providing wholesale banking to corporate and institutional clients. According to the statement, under the alliance, UBA Ghana would undertake promotions for GBS’ consumer products and offer special prices on their installation and bouquet. UBA’s superior IT infrastructure will also enable the bank to offer the most convenient and safest platform for payment of GBS subscription bills, the statement said. The UBA platform according to the statement, is highly automated with efficient transaction solutions. This efficient platform is devoid of any manual manipulation and it enables the system to perform all sorts of validations such as ensuring the GBS customer’s account number id entered is updated same day on real time basis. The statement indicated that GBS as a dynamic new Pan-African pay-TV service, delivers choice, quality and innovation to a new breed of TV viewer. With a balanced and exciting choice of premium content, and added that GBS is redefining pay-TV in Africa by offering it at a price point accessible to the mainstream. GBS is committed to supporting local content as well as offering major international programming ideal for the whole family, the statement said. GBS is a subsidiary of Gateway Communications, the leading provider of communications services to telecoms operators and corporations in Africa. The statement quoted Mr. Michael Yamson, General Manager of GBS, as saying that this is one of the most exciting partnerships that GBS has entered into following the very successful partnership with the Ghana football association that makes GBS media rights owner to the Ghanaian Premiere league for the next 3 years. He said GBS would continue to deliver quality service at an affordable rate to all Ghanaians to achieve its vision of using television to breach the digital divide. “The partnership will lead to new era of best-in class payment services for subscribers of GBS and the rest of Ghana. Building partnerships with top global brands constitute part of the UBA strategy, which is ultimately aimed at creating an African institution that competes effectively in the market place. UBA believes that the best companies are the best collaborators.” The statement quoted Mr. Nnamdi Okonkwo, MD/ CEO of UBA Ghana. GBS is already available in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Malawi, Mauritius, Botswana, Zambia, Namibia, Ethiopia, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Gambia, Mozambique and Zimbabwe and is currently proceeding with a phased roll-out across sub-Saharan Africa. By Emmanuel K. Dogbevi