Empirically Measuring Trust in Leadership: A Case Study of the United Bank for Africa

Abstract

This study empirically examines trust in leadership at the United Bank for Africa (UBA), addressing a significant gap in research on African financial institutions. Drawing on Mayer, Davis, and Schoorman's (1995) integrative trust model, the research investigates how ability, benevolence, and integrity dimensions of leadership trustworthiness relate to employee outcomes including job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and performance. Employing a mixedmethods approach with a quantitative survey of 350 employees and qualitative interviews, the study utilizes structural equation modeling and thematic analysis to test its conceptual framework. Findings reveal integrity as the strongest predictor of trust (β=0.41), with trust fully mediating the relationship between leadership attributes and employee outcomes. The model explains 78% of variance in trust in leadership, confirming its applicability while highlighting cultural nuances in African contexts. The research contributes to both scholarly understanding of leadership trust in African banking and provides actionable recommendations for leadership development and organizational policy at UBA and similar multinational financial institutions operating across diverse African markets.