Jobs/Appointments
Three New Directors Join UAC of Nigeria Board
By Dipo Olowookere
Three new directors have been appointed into the board of directors of UAC of Nigeria Plc. The new appointees are Mr Folasope Babasola Aiyesimoju and Mrs Olufunke Ighodaro, who are Non-Executive Directors; and Mr Peter Benedikt Mombaur, who will serve as alternate Director to the new Directors.
A statement issued by the firm disclosed that the three directors are expected to bring into the board their wealth of experience.
A brief profile of the appointees shows that Mr Aiyesimoju is a finance professional with experience spanning corporate finance, principal investing and private equity.
Over the course of his career, he has lived and worked in Sub-Saharan Africa’s most important economies gaining experience of the operating landscape in the region.
He holds a B.Sc (Hons) degree in Estate Management from the University of Lagos, where he was awarded a Certificate of Excellence in Real estate development and finance, and earned the right to use the CFA designation in 2006.
Mr Aiyesimoju is the founder of Themis Capital Management, an investment firm focused on concentrating capital and talent on high-potential opportunities in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Prior to founding Themis, he worked with Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, a leading global investment firm with $168 billion in assets under management.
His experience also includes working with the Standard Bank Group, where he led mergers and acquisitions in Nigeria.
Mr Aiyesimoju spent the early part of his career with Ocean and Oil Holdings Limited, a principal investment firm in Nigeria and ARM Investment Managers, one of Nigeria’s leading investment advisory and wealth management firms. He co-founded Foodpro Limited, a nutritional snacks business focused on edible nuts, where he currently serves as a non-executive director.
On her part, Mrs Ighodaro is a commercially astute and experienced business leader with considerable experience in executive, as well as, non-executive leadership positions with some of Africa’s most successful companies.
She holds a B.Sc. (Hons) degree in Operational Research from Salford University and is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. She is an independent non-executive director and audit committee member at Datatec Limited, an international information and communications technology business with a market capitalization of $500 million and independent non-executive director and audit committee chair at Transaction Capital Limited, a $900m business, which operates in highly specialised and under- served segments of the South African and Australian financial services markets.
She also serves as an independent non-executive director for the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, Members’ Advisory Board for Africa. She was recently appointed by the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Nigerian Communications Commission and a syndicate of 13 lenders to the Interim Board of Emerging Markets Telecommunication Services Limited where she serves as Executive Director & Chief financial officer focused on stabilizing the business ahead of a third-party sale. Her prior work experience includes serving as CFO at Tiger Brands Limited, Africa’s leading food producer with more than $2.5 billion in sales and operations across Africa and Latin America.
Prior to Tiger Brands, she was CFO at Primedia Limited and Executive Director at Kagiso Trust Investments. Funke spent the early part of her career working with the Standard Bank Group in Johannesburg and PricewaterhouseCoopers in London.
For Mr Mombaur, he is an investor and entrepreneur with professional experience in Sub-Saharan Africa, Western Europe and North America. He has lived and worked in Nigeria for seven years and overseen investments for over a decade.
He holds University degrees in Mechanical Engineering (specialising in Energy and Automation), as well as Law and Economics. His work experience spans fast moving consumer goods, telecommunications, financial services and education. He is the co-founder of Themis Capital Management, an investment firm focused on concentrating capital and talent on high-potential opportunities in Sub-Saharan Africa.
He is also chief executive officer and cofounder of Terra Education, a leading travel company based in San Diego, USA.
Prior to assuming an executive role at Terra Education, Peter was co-managing director at Tana Africa, an investment company with an open-ended investment horizon backed by the Oppenheimer family and Temasek.
His experience includes close to a decade as a management consultant with Mckinsey & Company, as well as, an independent consultant. Peter started his career with RWE Group, one of Germany’s largest utility companies. He is co-founder of the African Leadership Academy, an institution based in Johannesburg, South-Africa and focused on developing Africa’s future leaders.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Global blockchain ecosystem behind the world’s largest digital asset exchange by trading volume and users, Binance, has appointed its co-founder, Ms Yi He, as its co-CEO.
“Yi has been an integral part of the executive leadership team since the launch of Binance. Her innovative and user-focused approach has been instrumental in shaping the company’s vision, culture, and bottom-up business strategy,” said Binance CEO, Mr Richard Teng. “This appointment is a natural progression and she will continue to guide the organization from strength to strength.”
“We remain dedicated to being the most trusted and regulated exchange in the world, always putting our users first. Yi plays a critical role in growing our community and driving product innovation as we work to reach one billion users. Together, we are focused on building the Web3 infrastructure and promoting financial freedom, empowering people to participate in a more open and fair financial system,” added Mr Teng.
“I am honored to build alongside Richard, who brings decades of experience in regulated financial markets and was among the first to regulate crypto in its early days,” said Ms He. “Together, we bring diverse perspectives and are confident in leading the future of the industry during this pivotal time, as we responsibly expand our global presence and drive sustainable innovation with our users always at the center.”
Binance remains one of the world’s largest players in crypto trading, and leadership changes within the company continue to draw attention due to its scale and influence.
The appointment of a co-CEO adds structure during a period when global exchanges emphasize compliance, operational clarity and more formal management frameworks.
The company did not announce changes to its product lineup or platform priorities alongside the leadership update, and no financial terms were disclosed. The addition of a co-CEO role reflects an internal effort to distribute responsibilities as the firm works with regulators and seeks stability in a competitive and closely watched industry.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The African Petroleum Regulators Forum (AFRIPERF) has chosen Nigeria as its official headquarters and also elected the chief executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Mr Gbenga Komolafe, as its chairman.
Recall that in September, 16 countries, led by Nigeria, gathered in Accra, Ghana, to witness the signing of the charter establishing the forum, which seek to harmonise oil regulation in Africa.
Others include Ghana, Somalia, Gambia, Madagascar, Sudan, Guinea, and Togo among others.
The decisions were announced at the inaugural executive committee meeting of the forum which took place virtually on December 2, 2025. The meeting which was attended by the 16 African countries, was convened to pick its leadership, headquarters and logo.
Prior to his endorsement as the substantive pioneering chairman, Mr Komolafe acted in interim capacity.
Also, Mrs Eyoanwan Ndiyo-Aiyetan also emerged as the secretary of AFRIPERF.
According to a statement on Wednesday, NUPRC notes that the development affirms Nigeria’s central role in the African petroleum regulatory space and as Africa’s largest producer of crude oil.
In his acceptance speech, Mr Komolafe thanked his African counterparts for the trust and honour, promising to ensure that no member country is left behind.
AFRIPERF aims to strengthen regional petroleum governance by fostering collaboration, cooperation and coordination among member regulators.
Its mission includes creating standards, enhancing transparency and addressing cross-border challenges such as gas trade, emissions, and digitalisation while making the African continent energy sector attractive for crucial investments.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The immediate past Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Gwabin Musa, has been nominated by President Bola Tinubu as the new Minister of Defence, replacing Mr Mohammed Badaru Abubakar.
The erstwhile minister resigned from his position with immediate effect for health reasons, the president’s spokesman, Mr Bayo Onanuga, had said on Monday night.
The 63-year-old’s departure coincides with a period of heightened security challenges across Nigeria, with the government under pressure to deal with a spate of mass kidnappings.
In a letter to Senate President, Mr Godswill Akpabio, President Tinubu conveyed Mr Musa’s nomination as the successor to Mr Abubakar, according to statement on Tuesday by Mr Onanuga, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy.
The 58-year-old retired military chief is described as a distinguished soldier who served as the CDS from 2023 until October 2025. He won the Colin Powell Award for Soldiering in 2012.
Born in Sokoto in 1967, Mr Musa received his primary and secondary education there before attending the College of Advanced Studies in Zaria. He graduated in 1986 and enrolled at the Nigerian Defence Academy the same year, earning a Bachelor of Science degree upon graduation in 1991.
He was commissioned into the Nigerian Army as a Second Lieutenant in 1991 and has since had a distinguished career. His appointments included General Staff Officer 1, Training/Operations at HQ 81 Division; Commanding Officer, 73 Battalion; Assistant Director, Operational Requirements, Department of Army Policy and Plans; and Infantry Representative/Member, Training Team, HQ Nigerian Army Armour Corps.
In 2019, he served as Deputy Chief of Staff, Training/Operations, Headquarters Infantry Centre and Corps; Commander, Sector 3, Operation Lafiya Dole; and Commander, Sector 3 Multinational Joint Task Force in the Lake Chad Region.
In 2021, Mr Musa was appointed Theatre Commander, Operation Hadin Kai. He later became Commander of the Nigerian Army Infantry Corps before being appointed CDS by President Tinubu in 2023.
In the letter to the Senate, Mr Tinubu expressed confidence in Mr Musa’s ability to lead the Ministry of Defence and further strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture.
If confirmed by the upper legislative chamber, he will take up the ministry at a crucial time when security challenges including terror and kidnappings are plaguing the country.
-
Feature/OPED6 years agoDavos was Different this year
-
Travel/Tourism9 years ago
Lagos Seals Western Lodge Hotel In Ikorodu
-
Showbiz3 years agoEstranged Lover Releases Videos of Empress Njamah Bathing
-
Banking7 years agoSort Codes of GTBank Branches in Nigeria
-
Economy3 years agoSubsidy Removal: CNG at N130 Per Litre Cheaper Than Petrol—IPMAN
-
Banking3 years agoFirst Bank Announces Planned Downtime
-
Banking3 years agoSort Codes of UBA Branches in Nigeria
-
Sports3 years agoHighest Paid Nigerian Footballer – How Much Do Nigerian Footballers Earn