United Bank For Africa PLC SWIFT/BIC code

UNAFNGLA – the SWIFT/BIC code of United Bank For Africa PLC

UNAFNGLA and UNAFNGLAXXX are the short and the long form of the same SWIFT/BIC code, and both point to United Bank For Africa PLC in Lagos. The code does one job: it ensures that money from abroad reaches the right bank. It comes up mainly when dealing with payments that cross a border or a currency.

On this page you can read what the code is put together, when it matters and what else you need for a transfer to or from United Bank For Africa PLC. The BIC names a bank or branch, not a specific account, which is why you always need the account number too.

Changed bank details? Be careful

Stay wary when someone unexpectedly wants you to send money to a different account or a bank in another country. A correct SWIFT code tells you nothing about whether the request is genuine – scammers simply use real codes.

Before paying, confirm a change of bank details through a phone call on a number you know, not one from the message. Urgency and secrecy are warning signs – a real supplier can wait a day. When money has already gone to a fraudster, call your bank right away – speed improves the chance of getting it back.

Recipients are targeted too: a classic trick is a buyer who pays too much followed by a request to send back the difference. Wait until the money is actually in your account – ask United Bank For Africa PLC if something looks wrong.

Before you send: check the United Bank For Africa PLC code

The most reliable source for the BIC is the recipient’s own bank details. When the code you were given does not match UNAFNGLA or UNAFNGLAXXX, do not guess.

If the code is wrong, the transfer may be delayed, be returned or end up costing more. A mistake in the IBAN or account number can be a bigger problem because it can reach the wrong person, so check that just as carefully.

An automatic check in your banking app only confirms that the code exists. Some banks now check the name against the account before you confirm; take any warning seriously. A small test payment is a sensible step for large sums.

Transfer times and tracking a payment to United Bank For Africa PLC

How fast a transfer reaches United Bank For Africa PLC depends on several factors: the currency, how many intermediary banks are involved, cut-off times and time zones. Transfers sent late in the day or just before weekends and holidays usually start a business day later. Extra checks on larger or unusual payments may also cause a delay, even when all details are correct.

A growing number of banks are connected to SWIFT gpi, which lets them follow a payment from bank to bank. Every payment gets a unique transaction reference, the UETR, which your bank can use to see where the money is. Keep the payment confirmation until the recipient confirms – you will need it for any trace request.

If the money does not arrive within the expected time, the sender should contact their own bank, not the receiving bank. Ask the sender for the payment receipt including the reference; that often settles the question quickly.

A note on our data

The codes here are taken from publicly available data which we refresh regularly. It is possible that a code here is no longer current, for example after a merger. The figures on this page are based on what is in our directory and not on information from United Bank For Africa PLC itself.

For a payment that matters, always check the code with the recipient’s bank or with the recipient. GoldexPay has no connection to United Bank For Africa PLC, we only compare transfer services. If you notice something that is out of date, we appreciate a short note.

Getting paid from abroad into a United Bank For Africa PLC account

For an international payment into your account at United Bank For Africa PLC, the sender has to have more than the BIC. Share the account holder’s name, your account number or IBAN, the BIC UNAFNGLAXXX and your address, which some banks require.

Their bank may request the address of your bank, in which case the Lagos head office is the usual answer. A mistake in the IBAN can be harder to fix than you might think, so copy the details from your online banking.

Expect that the amount credited is smaller than the amount on the sender’s receipt. Fees for incoming transfers vary per bank; check the price list of United Bank For Africa PLC. Agree with the sender who pays which costs.

8 or 11 characters: UNAFNGLA versus UNAFNGLAXXX

A BIC is made up of a few fixed parts: characters one to four identify the bank, the next two give the country and characters seven and eight indicate the location. For United Bank For Africa PLC, that core is UNAFNGLA.

The long version has three more characters that identify a branch or department. If the last three are XXX, the code points to the head office, so UNAFNGLAXXX and UNAFNGLA are interchangeable.

Enter the code as one block, in capitals and without spaces. Look out for O versus 0 or the letter I and the digit 1.

Sending money abroad from United Bank For Africa PLC

When you send money abroad through United Bank For Africa PLC, the fee you see is rarely all of what you pay. Besides the transfer fee, banks in between can deduct a fee, and if currencies are converted the bank often applies a rate below the real market rate.

The real cost is often in the rate: many banks convert using an exchange rate with a margin built in. Compare their rate with the mid-market rate – the rate you find on financial news sites. The difference is your real conversion cost.

For many routes, a transfer service turns out to be cheaper than a bank. GoldexPay compares the amount that arrives with different services, so you can pick the cheapest route. You can always keep your account at United Bank For Africa PLC to fund the transfer; only the conversion and sending happen elsewhere.

Head office or branch code at United Bank For Africa PLC?

Our database contains 112 SWIFT/BIC codes for United Bank For Africa PLC. Besides the head office code UNAFNGLAXXX, there are codes for branches, departments or specific services.

For most payments to a private or business account, the head office code UNAFNGLAXXX is the right choice. If you have been given a branch code, stick to it instead of swapping it for the head office code.

The best way is to take the code straight from the recipient’s bank details. Codes for branches are more prone to be retired than UNAFNGLAXXX when a bank merges or closes offices.