To prepare students for job market: Afriland First Bank signs MoU with University of Bamenda.

In her address during the ceremony, UBa Vice Chancellor, Prof Theresa Nkuo-Akenji, said the partnership with Afriland First Bank will be strategic in the moulding of students for the job market. 

"…together we shall train, through internship placements, immersion, and core creation so that the skills acquired by our graduates are aligned to the expected experience in the world of work," she said.

Prof Nkuo-Akenji said the MoU falls in line with the law on higher education that emphasises on students graduating with skills so that they can be absorbed properly into the job market. 

"...we do train in the academic institutions and we need our business partners, like the banks and the industries," she said.

Speaking to The Guardian Post, the West Region Manager of Afriland First Bank, Ngoran Sefola Harret, explained that the financial institution has since its creation in 1987 accompanied Cameroonians in all endeavours.

"As of today, Afriland is a leading bank in Cameroon with top deposits of over 1,700 billion FCFA and with over 92 branches covering the entire territory of Cameroon. In Bamenda, we already have two branches presently in Commercial Avenue and in Nkwen,” he stated.

The Manager further explained that Afriland First Bank is presently carrying out works for a new branch to be opened at Up Station, Bamenda. He noted that this falls in line with the bank’s ideal of being close to the population and students.

"The University of Bamenda being one of the leading Universities in our country, it is prudent for us to partner with the academic institution," he said.

He added that with the different branches, experience and expertise, Afriland First Bank will be able to take in student interns and train them so that when they come out of the University, they will be ready for the job market.

Ngoran Sefola reiterated that Afriland First Bank has innovative digital solutions which will permit the University community to be able to carrying out banking operations digitally and free.

Ngoran believes that Afriland First Bank is the true partner and true to that, they are sure that the agreement which the bank has gotten into with the University of Bamenda will see them have a win-win relationship.

UBa Vice Chancellor had earlier noted that the partnerships were being signed against a backdrop of an important milestones at the University of Bamenda.

She mentioned a grant acquired for projects transforming Africa's agricultural universities to meaningfully contribute to growth and development, TAGDev 2.0, in partnership with the Regional University Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3635 of Monday November 24, 2025