Afriland, UBA partner on diaspora real estate investment 

Afriland Properties Plc has been named the official real estate partner on the newly launched Diaspora Services Platform of United Bank for Africa Plc, deepening ties between the lender and Nigeria’s property market. 

In a statement on Sunday, Afriland said it will provide verified property investment opportunities and institutional-grade project delivery designed to address common risks faced by Nigerians abroad investing back home. 

UBA unveiled the platform in Lagos under the theme “Beyond Banking: Powering the Diaspora Lifestyle.” The initiative is structured as a digital marketplace linking Africans overseas with vetted providers across banking, real estate and lifestyle services.

Afriland, UBA target diaspora confidence

Speaking at the launch, Afriland Executive Director Kayode Odebiyi said many diaspora investors remain wary of construction delays, rising costs, developer credibility and limited oversight. 

“Afriland is well-positioned to address these concerns through rigorous due diligence, a competence-based development framework, first-class project management and full information transparency,” he said. 

He added that in a largely fragmented real estate market, Afriland stands out as one of the few publicly listed development companies operating under strict corporate governance and regulatory oversight. 

UBA’s Head of Diaspora Banking, Anant Rao, said the African diaspora remains central to the continent’s economic future. “Africa has not fully utilised the power of its diaspora. Engaging and enabling Africans abroad will define the next phase of Africa’s growth,” he said.

Elumelu builds diaspora property accessWith operations in 20 African countries and offices in New York, London, Paris and Dubai, UBA serves more than 45 million customers.

The bank said the partnership is expected to ease access to Nigeria’s property sector by combining its global banking network with structured and transparent real estate offerings. 

The collaboration also underscores growing efforts to formalise diaspora participation in real estate, a sector long driven by informal networks. 

Afriland is owned by Heirs Holdings, founded by Tony Elumelu and his wife, Awele Elumelu. The company focuses on property management, investment and development, with a portfolio valued at more than N30 billion ($22.2 million) and one of the country’s larger land banks. 

Elumelu also chairs Heirs Holdings, UBA and Transcorp, with investments spanning banking, energy and infrastructure across Africa.