The Rise of the Mustard Army: How UMB Bank took over the Citi Business Olympics
For one day, corporate Ghana put down its spreadsheets, left the boardroom, and discovered that running a business is not the only thing that requires stamina.
At the 2026 Citi Business Olympics, companies traded suits for sportswear, formal handshakes for high-fives, and boardroom strategies for everything from football and swimming to the Ultimate CEO's Challenge.
Among the most noticeable troops on the field was Universal Merchant Bank (UMB) — or, as they could easily have been called on the day, the Mustard Army.
It was difficult to miss them.
Whether they were competing, cheering colleagues on (and boy did they cheer) or simply making sure the mustard was represented in every corner of the venue, UMB brought plenty of energy to the Olympics.
As one of the sponsors of the Citi Business Olympics, UMB's involvement went beyond putting its name on the event. The bank brought its people into the action, reinforcing the idea that corporate relationships do not always have to begin with a PowerPoint presentation.
Sometimes, they begin with a football match, a swimming contest, or a jama session.
The Jama team from UMB can best be described as the strategist who wins the war for an army, and in this case, true to the description, the nostalgia from the renditions of both old and new Jama songs did the magic for the mustard army.
The bank picked up victories in men's swimming and women's lime-and-spoon, adding to the competitive spirit of a team that clearly did not come to Eden Heights just to pose for photographs in matching jerseys.
But the biggest UMB moment was reserved for the man at the top, so the CEO left the boardroom for the penalty spot.
The CEO's Challenge was supposed to be a bit of fun. At least, that was the theory.
UMB CEO Dr. Philip Oti-Mensah showed that he was not simply there to provide executive moral support.
He stepped up, took his chances, and emerged as the winner of the CEO's Challenge.
And just like that, the UMB CEO had another achievement to add to his CV — right next to running a bank, apparently.
For the Mustard Army, it was the perfect ending.
The victory also gave UMB bragging rights that may survive well beyond the closing ceremony. After all, it is not every day that a CEO can walk into the office on Monday and legitimately tell his colleagues, “I won the challenge.”
The 2026 Citi Business Olympics was ultimately about more than winning medals. It was about bringing Ghana's corporate community together, encouraging teamwork and creating opportunities for companies and their employees to connect outside the traditional workplace.
For UMB, the day offered all of that — plus a few trophies, a striking mustard army, and a CEO who apparently knows how to take penalties.
And on this particular day, the Mustard Army certainly did.
From all indications, UMB dominated with a sea of mustard that drowned out all others.
Ahooooo-Ahoya!! To the UMB MUSTARD ARMY.
— CitiNewsRoom