The financial stability of Union Bank of Nigeria (UBN) seems shaky as it faces a lawsuit that could clean out half of its total assets.
Information pieced together from a statement of the firm’s financial records for 2022 released on Wednesday, indicate that Union Bank is facing law suits to the tune of N1.497 trillion.
Out of the aggregate legal claims filed against Union Bank is N1.495 trillion from a single case, representing 53.2 per cent of the company’s N2.79 trillion total assets.
The lawsuit could reduce Union Bank’s total assets to N1.30 trillion, rendering its capital base weak.
Already, the Federal High Court has awarded N1.495 trillion to the claimant against the bank.
However, Union Bank is contesting the judgment at the Supreme Court, to avoid payment of the judgment debt, which could destabilise it financially.
“The Bank is involved in various legal actions in the ordinary course of business, which has resulted in contingent liabilities amounting to N1.497 trillion of December 31, 2022 (2021: N1.98 trillion).
“The most significant is a case with total claim of N1.495 trillion (2021: N1.54 trillion) in which judgment had been awarded against the Bank and other co-defendants by a Federal High Court in pr years.
“The Bank appealed against the judgment which is currently pending before the Supreme Court. In the case of Petro Union, while the Bank’s appeal was pending before the Supreme Court, its application for leave to amend its notice of appeal, to appeal on grounds of mixed law and fact, and to extend the time to apply for leave was dismissed.
“The Bank subsequently filed another application seeking the leave of the Supreme Court to appeal the judgment of the lower court. On 22 December 2021, the Supreme Court unanimously granted leave to the bank to appeal the judgment of the Court Appeal and to file its Notice of Appeal.
“The bank filed an appeal on the 5 May 2022, but the Court is yet fixed a date for hearing after initial adjournment.
“This matter was considered to be a key audit matter due to the size of the potential liability and the significant judgment made by the directors in determining that no provision is required in the consolidated and separate financial statements,” the bank clarified.