Business
Ecobank Nigeria Announces Appointment of New Chairman, Directors
The Board of Directors of Ecobank Nigeria has announced the appointment of three non-executive directors: . Mrs. Bola Adesola, Mrs. Titilayo Olujobi and Mrs. Bimbola Wright. According to the Board, the new Directors have distinguished themselves in their various careers bringing with them a wealth of experience in the financial services industry, their professionalism and integrity, that has earned them international respect.
Mrs. Adesola who has also been appointed as the Chairman of the Board, following the end of tenure of Mr. John Aboh, is a highly respected professional with over thirty-three (33) years of experience in the banking sector. She has commendable leadership qualities and successfully driven expansion initiatives in several banks. Mrs. Adesola retired from Standard Chartered Bank as the Senior Vice- Chairman, Africa. Prior to this role, she was the Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer for Standard Chartered Nigeria and West Africa for eight years with oversight over the bank’s West African subsidiaries, including Ghana, Cote D’Ivoire, The Gambia, Sierra Leone, and Cameroun. Mrs. Adesola was also the Chairperson of the Board of Standard Chartered Bank Mauritius and a Director at Standard Chartered, Ghana.
Mrs. Adesola had also served as an Executive Director, Corporate Banking and Executive Director Lagos Directorate at First Bank of Nigeria Plc; Managing Director, Kakawa Discount House, Nigeria. An alumnus of Harvard Business School and Lagos Business School, she also holds a Law degree from the University of Buckingham, UK and is an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, U.K and Nigeria amongst others.
Commenting on her appointment as Director and Chairman of the Board, Mrs. Adesola said; “I am honoured to be appointed as Chairman of the Board of Ecobank Nigeria. I am familiar with the brand and the proud history that is built on strong foundation across the African continent and indeed globally. I look forward to working with the other members of the Board and Executive team as we continue our journey to be top in the Nigerian market, by setting the standards in financial services for our customers. I would also like to express my thanks to my predecessor, Mr. John Aboh, a consummate and respected banker for a very successful tenure and wish him all the best for the future.”
Patrick Akinwuntan, Managing Director, Ecobank Nigeria said: “The entire staff and Management of Ecobank Nigeria warmly welcome Mrs. Bola Adesola and the other new directors to the Board. We will give them our full support in ensuring the actualization of the Bank’s strategic plans in Nigeria. I also thank Mr. John Aboh who recently retired from the Board after successfully completing his tenure of office. Under his tenure as Chairman of the Board, the Bank made remarkable progress in growing its market share and repositioning Ecobank Nigeria for leadership in the Nigerian financial services sector”.
Mrs. Titilayo Olujobi also a new director on the Board is a well-rounded and experienced professional with nearly four decades experience in Public Accounting, Banking, Training Facilitation, Business Consulting and Coaching. She is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and a Certified Professional Coach of the International Coaching Federation (ICF). Mrs. Olujobi who is currently Non-Executive Director of IBFCAlliance Limited, started her professional career at Z. O. Ososanya & Co and Coopers and Lybrand (now PriceWaterhouse Coopers) where she led audit assignments and consulted on tax issues. She was at Nigeria International Bank Limited (now Citibank Nigeria Limited) as a Management Associate and rose through the ranks across multiple positions to become Vice President (Deputy General Manager); She was Managing Director, IBFCAgusto Training Limited; Executive Director of IBFCAlliance Limited after the merger of IBFCAgusto and Alliance Consulting. She holds a B.Sc. Degree in Economics from the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University).
Mrs. Bimbola Wright is a transformative and human-centered professional with thirty three (33) years banking experience in top financial institutions, over 20 years of which was at senior leadership levels. She is currently an Executive Director with Wright & Co Limited, a management consulting firm based in Lagos; Chairperson of the Board of Arami Essentials; member of the Institute of Directors, where she sits on the board of IoD Centre for Corporate Governance; and Fellow of the Nigeria Institute of Management. Her career commenced with NAL Bank Plc (now part of Sterling Bank), from where she moved to Kakawa Discount House which was later acquired by First Bank Holdings to become FBNQuest Merchant Bank; she was Executive Council member of Women in Management, Business and Public Services (WIMBIZ). Bimbola holds a B.Sc in Human Biology from Surrey University, an M.A. in International Relations from University of Kent at Canterbury.
As part of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s state visit to France, the Chairman of UBA Group, in the presence of President Tinubu and the President of France, Emmanuel Macron, signed a landmark business cooperation agreement with the French Finance Minister, Antoine Armand. The agreement is a significant indication of support by the French Government for the development of UBA’s full banking operations in France.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Tony Elumelu, the Chairman of UBA Group commented: ”This partnership reinforces our commitment to seamless international banking services for our customers, not just across the 11 Francophone African countries we serve, but Africa as a whole; and French and European customers transacting with Africa. Expanding into France is a natural progression, with Paris serving as our European Union hub, as we continue to bring Africa and the world together, through innovative financial solutions. Paris will join London, New York and Dubai, as a critical component of our unique global network.”
United Bank for Africa is one of the largest employers in the financial sector on the African continent, with 25,000 employees group wide and serving over 45 million customers globally. Operating in twenty African countries and the United Kingdom, the United States of America, France and the United Arab Emirates, UBA provides retail, commercial and institutional banking services, leading financial inclusion and implementing cutting edge technology.
In a bid to promote a savings culture and enhance financial literacy among young Nigerians, Unity Bank Plc has announced plans to launch a new app for children and teenagers designed to empower users to achieve their financial goals.
The announcement was made during the World Savings Day training held at Emerald Fields School, Calabar, Cross River State, as part of the Bank’s nationwide initiative to mark the global event.
World Savings Day is observed in Nigeria as an initiative of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Bankers Committee and Junior Achievement Nigeria to drive financial inclusion with the vehicle of Financial Literacy Training which is held in secondary schools across the country.
Speaking at the event, Unity Bank’s Managing Director/CEO, Mrs. Tomi Somefun, represented by the Chief Compliance Officer, Mrs. Patricia Ahunanya, emphasized the importance of instilling good financial habits early in life. She explained that the upcoming app would equip students with tools to set SMART financial goals, understand the power of compound interest, and build financial safety nets through savings and prudent money management.
“Financial literacy is the foundation of a secure future. By teaching students to distinguish between needs and wants, budgeting, and embracing delayed gratification, we empower them to take charge of their financial journeys. The new app will serve as a practical tool to support these lessons and help young Nigerians build a culture of savings,” Mrs. Somefun stated.
The training session in Calabar, one of 16 held simultaneously across secondary schools in Nigeria, aimed to instil essential money management skills. Participants were exposed to simulations on earning, budgeting, spending wisely, and understanding the principles of borrowing and saving. Unity Bank’s representatives guided the students through interactive discussions, encouraging them to set financial goals and cultivate habits that support long-term financial stability.
World Savings Day, celebrated annually on October 31, aims to promote the importance of savings and financial awareness globally. In Nigeria, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), in collaboration with the Banker’s Committee, Deposit Money Banks, and Junior Achievement Nigeria, coordinated activities to engage students nationwide.
Unity Bank’s initiative aligns with the CBN’s financial inclusion strategy by encouraging young Nigerians to embrace financial literacy early. The Bank’s upcoming app, designed specifically for children and teenagers, will complement this effort by providing an engaging platform for setting savings goals, tracking progress, and building healthy financial habits.
With financial literacy training held in six geopolitical zones, Unity Bank reinforces its commitment to youth development and capacity building.
FirstBank, the premier West African financial institution and financial inclusion service provider has announced its hosting of the first-ever China-Africa Interbank Association (CAIBA) Forum to strengthen economic ties and investments between China and Africa.
The forum, themed “Joining Hands to Advance Modernisation and Strengthening China-Africa Trade, Industrialization and Economic Diversification,” will take place on November 27, 2024, at the Fraiser Suites Abuja.
Established in 2018, CAIBA marked a significant milestone in fostering financial cooperation between China and Africa, comprising 16 African banks, including FirstBank, and China Development Bank (CDB) as well as ABSA Bank, West African Development Bank, Central African States Development Bank, Eastern and Southern African Trade and Development Bank, Development Bank of South Africa, Ecobank, United Bank for Africa, RawBank with the aim to enhance partnerships in various spheres, such as infrastructure interconnection, international cooperation, and cultural exchange. This initiative was driven by the need to address the funding gap in Africa for industrialization, infrastructure, and poverty alleviation.
The CAIBA Forum which will be co-hosted by China Development Bank offers a unique opportunity for knowledge sharing, networking and deal making, for the purpose of fostering a win-win cooperation and promote joint development among member-banks. Formerly convened only in Beijing, the Forum will now provide a unique platform to spotlight Nigeria’s pivotal role in the growing China-Africa economic relationship as the host country.
Intrinsically woven into the fabric of the society and with its extensive network across Sub-Saharan Africa, UK, and China, FirstBank provides unparalleled access to markets, to facilitate trade and investment flows between China and Africa.
Additionally, FirstBank’s expertise in financial inclusion, trade finance, corporate and investment banking positions it as an ideal partner with China Development Bank with key strengths in inclusive and sustainable financial solutions in driving this important initiative to support Chinese and African businesses.
Speaking about the forum, the CEO of FirstBank Group, Mr. Olusegun Alebiosu, said, “We are honoured to host this pivotal event that fosters dialogue and collaboration between Chinese and African financial institutions. This forum reinforces our commitment to bridging the gap between Africa and China, catalyzing economic growth and development. The selection of FirstBank as the host is a testament to our rich legacy, deep expertise in African markets, and an impressive 130-year history of empowering businesses and communities to thrive. We are proud to support the continent’s economic transformation and growth and remain dedicated to exploring the partnership opportunities this forum will bring for the mutual benefit of China and Africa.”
Participants will have the chance to engage with government officials, business leaders, and financial experts from both regions. Expected guest speakers include His Excellency, the Vice President of Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Minister of Trade, Industry & Investment, MD of China Development Bank, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Governors of Lagos, Kano and Anambra States; Ambassadors from countries of CAIBA members, President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the African Export–Import Bank, Representatives from the China-Africa Development Fund, and many industry leaders, policymakers, and experts to explore opportunities for cooperation and mutual growth.
In addition, the CAIBA Forum will feature a plenary session which include Dr. Abiodun Adedipe – Founder & Chief Consultant BAA Consult, David Ofosu-Dorte – Senior Partner, AB & David Africa, A Pan-African Law Firm, Ugo (UgoDre) Obi-Chukwu – Publisher Nairametrics, Wole Adeniyi- CEO, Stanbic IBTC, Bamidele Abu- CEO, ABSA Nigeria Capital Markets, Mrs Kouassigan Dovi Eliane Khady – Head Financial Institutions West African Development Bank (BOAD). Other exciting line-ups include a trade exhibition, keynote speeches, and networking events that will explore the latest trends and opportunities in China-Africa cooperation.
The establishment of CAIBA is a positive development that has the potential to significantly impact the economic landscape, actively shaping economic future and fostering partnerships that drive sustainable growth and prosperity of both China and Africa.
