Jobs/Appointments
Ernest Ndukwe Takes Over as MTN Nigeria Chairman
By Dipo Olowookere
Former Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Mr Ernest Ndukwe, has been announced as the Chairman-designate of MTN Nigeria Plc from September 2, 2019.
Mr Ndukwe served as head of the telecommunications industry regulator from February 2000 to March 2010.
Business Post reports that on October 20, 2015, the NCC imposed a fine of N1.04 trillion on MTN for infraction of the provision of the NCC Telephone Subscribers Registration Regulations 2011; for failure to disconnect 5.2 million improperly-registered Subscriber Identification Modules (SIM) lines within the prescribed deadline, because these lines had economic activities on them without proper registration.
The firm had discussions with the regulator and ways of paying the fine were worked on. The firm completed the payment of the last tranche of the fine, N55 billion, in May 2019, the month it listed its shares on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) by introduction.
Yesterday, the company announced that it has appointed the former NCC chief to head its board after the retirement of former head of the defunct Diamond Bank Plc, Mr Pascal Dozie.
Also, MTN Nigeria announced the appointment of some personalities to its board as non-executive directors.
First on the list is Mr Michael Onochie Ajukwu, who will serve as an Independent Non-Executive Director. He has over 21 years of experience in the banking industry with specialty in the Energy and Multinational sectors. He has extensive business experience in Africa and particularly in Nigeria.
In 2002, Mr Ajukwu disengaged from United Bank for Africa PLC as Executive Director, Corporate Banking and later served as a Director of Keystone Bank Limited.
He has extensive Board experience and serves as Chairman of Altech West Africa Limited, Munca Properties Limited and Mobax Nigeria Ltd.
Mr Ajukwu has been an Independent Director of Sterling Bank Plc since June 2018 and of Tiger Brands Limited since March 31, 2015. He also sits as a Non-Executive Director on the boards of Int-afact Beverages Ltd, a subsidiary of SABMiller in Nigeria and Novotel, a member of Accor Hotels group.
Mr Ajukwu holds a B.Sc. in Finance from the University of Lagos and an MBA in Accounting and Finance from New York University.
Another person appointed by MTN Nigeria is Mr Muhammad Ahmad as an Independent Non-Executive Director. Mr Ahmad is a seasoned public sector executive with over 35 years of experience traversing the financial services industry and the public sector. He actively advocates and supports institution building based on the highest corporate governance and ethical standards and has served on various boards and committees, including banks and not for profit organizations.
He was a pioneer staff of the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Company (NDIC) where he rose to become a Director. He later served as the pioneer Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the National Pension Commission (PENCOM).
Mr Ahmad worked at the Central Bank of Liberia as the Advisor and Technical Director on Bank Supervision under an International Monetary Fund (IMF) Programme. He coordinated the development of the Federal Government strategy document for the rebuilding of the North East that led to the constitution of the Presidential Committee on the North-East Initiative (PCNI).
Mr Ahmad served as Chairman, Technical Committee on the Nigerian Code of Corporate Governance 2018 and currently chairs the boards of Polaris Bank (former Skye Bank); Taj Bank, Credent Capital Advisory and FATE Foundation. He serves on the Interim Board of International Energy Assurance Plc.
He is the founder of Jewel Development Foundation, a graduate assistance programme; and Certium Consulting, a strategic advisory and business applications company. Mr Ahmad holds a BSc. in Accounting from Ahmadu Bello University and a Masters Diploma in Innovation & Strategy, University of Oxford. He is an Associate, Toronto Center for Global Leadership in Financial Supervision, Canada.
Also appointed is Mr Andrew Alli as a Non-Executive Director. Mr Andrew Alli qualified as a Chartered Accountant with Coopers & Lybrand (PricewaterhouseCoopers) in the United Kingdom.
He worked for over a decade at the International Finance Corporation (IFC) in different positions including Country Manager for Southern Africa and Nigeria. During that period, he represented the IFC on the board of MTN Nigeria Communications Limited. He was subsequenHy appointed CEO of the nascent Africa Finance Corporation, which he built into a robust DFI focusing on African infrastructure, natural resources and heavy industry sectors. During his tenure as CEO, AFC made cumulative investments of over $4 billion in 30 African countries and achieved the second -highest credit rating for an African lending institution.
In December 2018, Mr Alli was appointed CEO of SouthBridge, a PanAfrican financial services firm focused on Investment Banking and Sovereign advisory, as well as on serving African and global corporates. He served as Non-Executive Director on the boards of ARM Cement Limited (October 2012 – March 24, 2017 and Guaranty Trust Bank Plc (June 2008 – June 30, 2016). He currently serves as an Independent Non-Executive Director, Development Bank of Nigeria. He is a Member of the Advisory Board, Lagos Business School (LBS). He holds a BEng in Electronics and Electrical Engineering from King’s College, University of London, and an MBA from INSEAD, France.
Another appointee is Mrs Omobola Johnson as a Non-Executive Director. Mrs Johnson served as Nigeria’s Minister of Communication and Technology from 2011 to 2015. She pioneered the Federal Government’s involvement in a venture capital fund and a network of start-up incubators and participated in the launching and execution of the National Broadband Plan.
Prior to her Ministerial appointment, she was country Managing Director for Accenture. She currently chairs the board of Custodian and Allied Insurance Limited and sits on the boards of Guinness Nigeria Plc as well as World Wide Web Foundation.
Mrs Johnson is the founding Chairperson of Women in Management and Business (WIMBIZ). She is a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Council on Africa; UNDP’s Broadband Commission Working Croup on Gender and the International Telecommunication Union’s Powering Development Advisory Board. Since 2015, she has served as Honorary Chairperson of the Global Alliance for Affordable Internet.
Mrs Johnson attended the University of Manchester where she obtained BEng, Electrical and Electronic Engineering and King’s College London (MSc, Digital Electronics). She has a Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA) from Cranfield University and is a Fellow of the Aspen Global Leadership Network (AGLN).
On the board too is Mr A.B. Mahmoud (SAN), who will serve as a Non-Executive Director. The respected legal practitioner is the Managing Partner and one of the founding partners of the law firm of Dikko & Mahmoud. He was elevated to the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria in 2001 and is a Life Bencher of the Body of Benchers.
He was once Kano Stare Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General and was in the public service from 1979 to 1993 during which time he held various positions including Director Litigation, Public Prosecution and Solicitor-General at the Ministry of Justice, Kano.
Mr Mahmoud is the immediate past President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), a Member of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA) and was accepted into the Energy Arbitrators List (EAL) in 2013. He is a Council Member of the Nigerian Stock Exchange.
He chaired the Committee that drafted the Securities and Exchange Commission Code of Corporate Governance for Public Companies 2011. Mr Mahmoud sits on the boards of various companies and charities including Stanbic 1BTC Pension Managers and Aliko Dangote Foundation.
He holds LLB and LLM (Company and Labour Law) from Ahmadu Bello University. In addition, he attended the Summer Institute in Corporate Law and Business, Northwestern University School of Law. He also obtained a Certificate in Techniques of Privatization, Harvard Institute of International Development as well as Certificate in Law and Development, International Development Law Institute.
Joining the board too is Mrs IFueko Okauru as a Non-Executive Director. Mrs Okauru is a Chartered Accountant, Chartered Tax Practitioner and Management Consultant. She served as Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and as the Chairman, Joint Tax Board between 2004 and 2012. She also served as a Member and Coordinator, Sub-Commiftee on Capacity Building; United Nations Committee of Experts on International Cooperation in Tax Maters (August 2008 – July 2012).
She is the Founder and Director, ReSt-raL Limited (Leadership and Management Consultants) as well as Managing Partner of Compliance Professionals Plc. Mrs Okauru serves as an Independent Non-Executive Director on the boards of Nigerian Breweries Plc and SEPLAT Petroleum Dev. Company Limited. She is also the Chief Program Officer, Dagomo Foundation Nigeria Ltd/Gte.
Mrs Okauru is currently engaged as an associate with the Harvard University Faculty of Arts and Science (FAS) undertaking research in Leadership, Social Enterprise, Culture and the Nigerian Nation. She is a graduate of the University of Lagos, Imperial College, London and Harvard Kennedy School.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Seplat Energy Plc has announced a major leadership transition, appointing Mr Tony Elumelu as Chairman-designate and Mr Effiong Okon as incoming chief executive, as it pursues its long-term growth ambitions and 2030 strategic roadmap
The company disclosed that its current Chairman, Mr Udoma Udo Udoma, will retire from the board on December 31, 2026, after overseeing a significant period of strategic expansion, including the integration of Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited (MPNU) and the development of Seplat Energy’s 2030 strategic plan.
Mr Elumelu will take over on January 1, 2027, having joined the board at the beginning of the year after buying a 20.07 per cent stake in the local energy producer.
In a parallel leadership transition, the current chief executive, Mr Roger Brown, will retire on July 31, 2026, ending a 13-year tenure with the company, including six years as CEO.
Mr Brown played a pivotal role in Seplat Energy’s transformation, leading major acquisitions, including Eland Oil & Gas in 2019 and the landmark acquisition of MPNU in 2024.
In his place, Mr Okon, who currently serves as Managing Director of the ANOH Gas Processing Company, will take over on August 1.
The veteran brings more than 35 years of industry experience and has held several leadership positions within Seplat Energy and Royal Dutch Shell.
Speaking on his exit, Mr Brown said, “It has been the greatest pleasure to be part of Seplat Energy’s growth since joining in 2013 as CFO and having led the company as CEO since August 2020. I am immensely proud that we have built a company that has now become synonymous with financial resilience, balanced capital allocation, strong corporate governance and shareholder reward.”
Mr Udoma also said, “[Mr] Roger has been ever-present in Seplat Energy’s journey, and under his leadership, the company has materially outperformed the sector and delivered exceptional returns to shareholders. He leaves us well-placed to continue delivering for all our stakeholders.
“I would also like to welcome Mr Okon as our incoming CEO. He has extensive operational experience that will support our ambitious growth aspirations.”
On his part, the incoming CEO said: “I am delighted to be taking on this appointment at an important juncture. My immediate focus will be on ensuring the Company executes the 2030 Roadmap, alongside development of the long-term plan to ensure we deliver on the immense potential inherent in our portfolio.”
Mr Elumelu said, “I am honoured to succeed Senator Udoma as Chairman in January 2027 and to lead the Board through Seplat Energy’s next phase of growth. I firmly believe in the critical role indigenous resources play in the economic transformation of Nigeria and Africa, and Seplat Energy’s culture of execution and governance aligns strongly with my own values.”
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
President Bola Tinubu, on Monday, swore in Mr Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe as the new Minister of Power and Mr Sola Enikanolaiye as the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs.
A statement from the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, last night disclosed that the exercise took place at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, in the presence of the ministers’ spouses and senior government officials.
The new Ministers took the oaths of office yesterday after they were cleared by the Senate for the appointments on May 6, 2026.
Mr Tegbe was chosen to replace Mr Adebayo Adelabu, who resigned from the position to pursue a governorship ambition in Oyo State, while Mr Enikanolaiye was drafted to the current post after the elevation of Mrs Bianca Ojukwu to the position of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, following the resignation of Mr Yusuf Tuggar, who tried to clinch the governorship ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bauchi State.
Mr Tegbe, born in Ibadan, Oyo State, is a renowned fiscal, economic and institutional reform strategist and stakeholder engagement expert with over 35 years of professional experience across the public and private sectors.
He holds a First Class Degree in Civil Engineering from Obafemi Awolowo University, a Master’s degree in Business Administration (Switzerland) and a Master’s degree in Public Administration (Birmingham).
He worked as a Senior Partner and Head of Advisory Services at KPMG in Africa, where he led transformational initiatives, including the design and implementation of major presidential reforms, the articulation and implementation of a strategy for subnational governments.
The Power Minister was also involved in fiscal policy restructuring at all levels of Government. He has worked with organisations such as the Nigerian Communications Commission, Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading, Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, Nigeria Revenue Service, Shell, Huawei, General Electric, MTN, and Odu’a Group, among others.
On his part, Mr Enikanolaiye from Igbagun, Kogi State, holds a First Class Degree in Political Science from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and won the Dean’s Prize as the best student in his faculty. He also obtained a Master’s Degree in International Law and Diplomacy from the University of Lagos with Distinction.
He joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in August 1982 and rose to the position of Director. He was appointed Permanent Secretary of the Ministry in 2016, from which he retired on August 4, 2017, after 35 years in service.
As a career diplomat, Mr Enikanolaiye served in many of Nigeria’s diplomatic missions, notably Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), Belgrade (Serbia), Ottawa (Canada) and London (UK). His last foreign service posting was as Nigeria’s Head of Mission in New Delhi (India).
He is a recipient of several merit awards, including the Presidential Civil Service Merit Award, the Presidential Distinguished Public Service Career Award, and a Distinguished Fellow of the National Defence College, among others.
Mr Enikanolaiye was, until his appointment, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and International Relations in the Office of the Chief of Staff to the President.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigerian fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) powerhouse, UAC Foods Limited, has promoted its Chief Financial Officer, Mrs Temitope Omodele, to the position of chief executive.
The company, a subsidiary of UAC of Nigeria Plc (UACN), officially made the announcement on its official LinkedIn page.
The ex-KPMG executive has a big task ahead of her, particularly with UAC Foods now a N340 billion revenue company buoyed by its recent acquisition of CHI Limited. With the new appointment, the company positions the seasoned finance executive as the driving force to further increase the value of brands like Gala Sausage Roll, Supreme Ice Cream, Swan Natural Spring Water, and Funtime Chips.
In its announcement, UAC Foods described the appointment as “an exciting new chapter,” affirming that Mrs Omodele will continue to “drive operational excellence, innovation, sustainable growth and long-term
Mrs Omodele began her career at KPMG Professional Services, where she rose through the ranks, from Senior Associate to Senior Manager, providing audit and assurance services across Nigeria’s financial services, FMCG, power and utilities, and energy and natural resources sectors.
Her time at KPMG was marked by an unusual distinction where she was seconded to the Department of Professional Practice at KPMG Inc. South Africa, gaining cross-border exposure to international standards and methodologies.
Following her return to Nigeria, she helped found the Department of Professional Practice for KPMG Professional Services Nigeria.
She joined the UAC of Nigeria Plc group in September 2020, initially as Technical Accounting and Reporting Lead and quickly advanced to Senior Vice President of Finance, with oversight of group-wide finance operations and reporting for the holding company. In this role, she served as a Non-Executive Director on the Board of Livestock Feeds Plc, a fellow UACN subsidiary.
She was then promoted to the role of Chief Financial Officer at UAC Foods Limited, expanding her operating-company exposure particularly around brand strategy, supply chain economics, and P&L accountability.
Mrs Omodele holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the University of Lagos, supplemented by an Executive MBA from Lagos Business School at Pan-Atlantic University. She further completed Executive Education in data analytics and emerging technologies at the W. P. Carey School of Business, Arizona State University.
She is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA).
Originally established as the United African Company in 1879, the company has evolved into one of Nigeria’s oldest and firmest companies. The UAC Foods unit was formally constituted in 2010 through a joint venture with Tiger Brands, the South African packaged food giant. In 2021, UACN acquired Tiger Brands’ minority stake, assuming full ownership and with it, full strategic responsibility for the subsidiary’s future.
The company is best known for its flagship Gala Sausage Roll, which has led Nigeria’s sausage roll market for over 60 years, alongside other popular brands including Supreme Ice Cream, Swan Natural Spring Water, and Funtime Chips.
In 2025, UACN’s consolidated revenue surged further to N340.47 billion, bolstered by the landmark acquisition of CHI Limited (the maker of Chivita juice and Hollandia dairy products), though profitability came under pressure from elevated financing costs tied to that acquisition.
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