Jobs/Appointments
Dele Alake Re-elected as Chairman of Africa Minerals Strategy Group
By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigeria’s Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Mr Dele Alake, has been re-elected as the Chairman of Africa Minerals Strategy Group (AMSG).
Mr Alake was first unanimously elected as the pioneer Chairman of AMSG in 2024 on the sidelines of Future Minerals Forum (FMF).
He was re-elected at the 2026 Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the group, held on the sidelines of the same conference in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The continental ministerial forum of African ministers is responsible for minerals and mining, committed to coordinated action aimed at maximising value addition and beneficiation from Africa’s vast mineral resources.
A statement issued on Sunday in Abuja by the Special Assistant on Media to the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Mr Segun Tomori, noted that the move is part of efforts to strengthen its institutional framework.
AMSG approved the creation of additional leadership positions, including Vice Chairman, Deputy Secretary-General, and Financial Secretary.
The forum further resolved that those positions be equitably distributed across Africa’s sub-regions to promote inclusion and regional balance.
While the positions of Chairman and Vice Chairman are elective and reserved for serving ministers, other positions are appointed by member states to which they are zoned.
Under the new leadership structure, Mr Alake continued as Chairman of the 24-member forum, representing West Africa.
The Minister of Mines of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Mr Louis Watum Kabamba, was elected Vice Chairman, representing Central Africa.
The position of Secretary-General remained with Uganda (East Africa), Mauritania was appointed Deputy Secretary-General (North Africa), while South Africa was assigned the position of Financial Secretary.
The AGM also ratified a two-year tenure for the newly elected executive committee and agreed that zoned positions belong to member countries, such that where a serving minister is replaced, the successor automatically assumes the role.
In his acceptance speech, Alake expressed gratitude to his colleagues for the renewed confidence reposed in him, stressing the urgent need for African nations to work collaboratively to unlock the continent’s economic potential through solid minerals development.
He called on member states to agree on minimum financial contributions and to refine the group’s budgeting framework to strengthen its operational effectiveness.
“Once member states contribute, accountability will naturally follow. This will enhance transparency and strengthen the credibility of the AMSG before the global community,” Mr Alake stated.
The AGM further resolved to hold quarterly ministerial meetings and ratified the establishment of standing committees, including those for Legal, Institutional Affairs and Human Resources; Sustainability and Responsible Mining; Finance, Budget and Resource Mobilisation, among others.
It was also agreed that steps be taken towards hosting a global minerals conference in Africa, similar to FMF.
Speaking earlier at a Leadership Roundtable, Mr Alake emphasised that mineral production alone could not deliver lasting economic transformation without reliable infrastructure, coordinated policies, and deliberate value-addition strategies.
Mr Alake cited the Lobito Corridor as a model of what was achievable when rail, ports, energy systems, and policy alignment worked in synergy. He stated that similar opportunities existed across the continent, including the Lagos–Abidjan Corridor linking Nigeria, Benin, Togo, Ghana, and Côte d’Ivoire; Walvis Bay Corridor connecting Southern Africa’s mining regions to global markets; Dar es Salaam and Central Corridors serving East and Central Africa, among others.
“The real question is not whether Africa has corridors, but whether these corridors are being financed, governed and structured to support industrial growth, regional integration and long-term stability.
“What matters is how financing is designed to reduce risk, attract private capital, and sustain commercial viability while advancing national and regional development objectives,” he said.
Mr Alake emphasised that unlocking capital required addressing issues, such as bankable and enforceable offtake arrangements; predictable and harmonised cross-border regulatory frameworks; alignment of rail, port, power, and industrial planning; and clear pathways for processing, smelting, logistics services, and industrial clusters along the corridors.
He added that the broader vision of AMSG was to ensure that Africa’s mineral infrastructure was strategically designed, responsibly financed, and efficiently managed in a rapidly evolving global environment, not to discourage investment, but to ensure it aligned with long-term stability, transparency, and shared economic prosperity.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Seven Assistant Inspectors-General of Police (AIGs) have been promoted to the rank of Deputy Inspectors-General of Police (DIGs) by the Police Service Commission (PSC).
The elevation, which is a result of merit, seniority, record of service and performance in a written examination and oral interview conducted today at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja, is part of efforts to strengthen the leadership cadre of the Nigeria Police Force.
The newly promoted DIGs are Mr Zachariah Fera Achinyan (formerly AIG Zone 4, Makurdi), Mr Zango Ibrahim Baba (formerly AIG Department of Logistics and Supply), Mr Isyaku Mohammed (formerly AIG Armament, Force Headquarters, Abuja), Mrs Margaret Agebe Ochalla (formerly AIG FCID Annex, Lagos), Mr Mohammed Abdul Sulaiman (formerly AIG Police Accounts and Budget, Force Headquarters, Abuja), Mrs Kenechukwu Onwuemelie (formerly AIG Zone 15, Maiduguri), and Mr Umar Shehu Nadada (formerly AIG Zone 14, Katsina).
This latest round of promotions follows the recent elevation of DIG Fayoade Adegoke to the substantive rank of DIG. He will now join the Force Management Team.
The promotions became necessary to fill the vacancies created by the retirement of eight DIGs who previously occupied these strategic offices.
While congratulating the new DIGs, the Chairman of the Police Service Commission, Mr Hashimu Salihu Argungu, charged them to live up to the expectations of their new offices.
He urged them to prioritise national security and foster a cordial and productive working relationship with the Commission to ensure the continued development of the Nigeria Police Force.
Some of the PSC board members who took part as examiners in the exercise included Mr Paul Adamu Galumje, Mr Taiwo Lakanu (DIG rtd and Chairman, PSC Standing Committee on Police Matters), and Onyemuche Nnamani (Secretary to the Commission).
Recently, Mr Tunji Disu became the new Inspector General of Police (IGP) following the exit of Mr Kayode Egbetokun.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The managing director of 11 Plc, which used to be known as Mobil Oil Nigeria Plc, Mr Adetunji Oyebanji, has taken a final bow from the company after 45 years of meritorious service.
The development was contained in a notice signed by the Company Secretary to NASD Plc and the investing public. In the statement dated March 3, 2026, it was disclosed that the retirement is effective March 31, 2026.
11 Plc trades its shares on the NASD Over-the-Counter (OTC) Securities Exchange.
The board of 11 Plc expressed its profound gratitude to Mr Oyebanji for his leadership and invaluable contributions to the company, wishing him the best in his future endeavours.
Mr Oyebanji was appointed chairman and managing director of then Mobil Oil Nigeria Plc in October 2008 and, following the divestment of ExxonMobil, he became the managing chief executive of 11 Plc in April 2017.
The board acknowledged Mr Oyebanji’s remarkable career with the organisation, which it said is a testament to his unwavering commitment, passion, and expertise in the oil and gas industry.
He joined Mobil Oil Nigeria Plc in 1980 as a Marketing Representative Trainee and progressed through various leadership positions, demonstrating exceptional leadership and strategic vision, including Planning Associate, Pricing Manager, District Manager, Branch Manager, Manager of Fuels Services, and Executive Director of Fuels.
His appointment as Managing Director in 2017 marked a significant milestone in his illustrious career, and he has steered the company through a period of significant transformation and growth.
Apart from his role at the company, Mr Oyebanji has played a significant role in the energy industry and the economy at large. He is currently the President and Chairman of the Council of the Chartered Institute of Directors in Nigeria.
He was a past chairman of the Major Energy Marketers Association of Nigeria (MEMAN) and the Petroleum Downstream Group of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI).
He was also a past council member of the Nigerian Institute of Management and the LCCl. He was a board member of the Society for Corporate Governance, Nigeria, for over 10 years.
Mr Oyebanji’s career extended well beyond Nigeria’s shores. He served at various points in his career as a Project Associate at Mobil Oil Corporation’s headquarters in Fairfax, Virginia, USA, and as a Manager, Planning, at Mobil Africa Sales Inc. He served as an Executive Director at Mobil Oil Cameroon and later at Mobil Oil Ethiopia. Eventually, he took on a global leadership role as Manager Industrial and Wholesale Fuels, Africa, Middle East, based in Belgium and reporting functionally to the Global I&W Manager.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
Ms Jumoke Olaniyan has been appointed as the Chief Strategy Officer of the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Group Plc.
In her new role, Ms Olaniyan will lead enterprise-wide strategy formulation and execution across the organisation, driving initiatives aligned with its ambition to deepen market liquidity, expand product innovation, broaden investor participation, and enhance long-term stakeholder value.
The role is central to strengthening cross-functional alignment and organisational effectiveness as NGX Group continues to evolve its integrated market infrastructure model.
NGX Group, in a statement, said it strengthened its executive leadership with the appointment of Ms Olaniyan to advance its next phase of strategic growth, digital transformation, product innovation and market development.
Her appointment underscores the company’s continued focus on disciplined strategy execution, strong governance and sustainable value creation.
It also reflects the group’s deliberate effort to strengthen its leadership structure through broader representation at the executive level, ensuring that women continue to play influential roles in shaping the evolution of Nigeria’s capital markets while contributing meaningfully to national economic development.
Before joining NGX Group, Ms Olaniyan held senior leadership roles at FMDQ Group Plc and FDHL Group, where she played key roles in business development, market expansion, and product innovation across the fixed income, currencies and derivatives markets.
With over two decades of experience spanning financial markets, strategy, consulting, and banking, she brings extensive expertise in market structure, stakeholder engagement, and enterprise transformation.
She holds a degree in Accounting as well as an MBA from INSEAD Business School and has built a reputation for driving growth, strengthening market participation, and delivering innovative financial market solutions that enhance transparency, efficiency, and market resilience.
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