Jobs/Appointments
Ecobank Nigeria Absorbs New Staff After 2nd Virtual Graduation
A new set of graduates have been employed by the management of Ecobank Nigeria. The new employees were absorbed into the firm after completing a training programme.
They graduated from the company’s academy, with a virtual ceremony held last week, the second to be conducted in two months.
The Ecobank Nigeria Management Trainees Batch 2 (EMDP 2) comprises 53 graduates who were trained at the Ecobank Nigeria Academy for 21 months.
Ecobank Nigeria had in May this year organised a virtual graduation ceremony for 57 graduate trainees, the first of its kind by any bank in the country.
In his comment, the Managing Director, Mr Patrick Akinwuntan, reiterated that the bank’s deliberate policy to train and equip its workforce is in line with its transformation drive to make the bank the most preferred financial institution in the country, adding that it is also targeted to better serve its customers in a convenient and accessible manner particularly as the nation rebounds from the COVID-19 lockdown.
According to him, Ecobank has also invested in a robust technology-based model which positions the bank to cope with current and future challenges including the provision of convenient digital banking services to customers in a seamless manner across 33 countries on the African continent.
“Our Mobile Banking app is unique as it’s a single App for the entire continent and our USSD *326# is very convenient.
“We have Ecobank Online for individuals; Ecobank Omniplus and EcobankOmnilite for corporate and SME clients respectively.
“Our agency banking Ecobank Xpresspoints brings banking to every neighbourhood. You can open an account in minutes on our Mobile platform while our POSs and ATMs are everywhere in the country.”
Speaking further, the Managing Director encouraged the graduands to remain ethical and diligent in the delivery of the vision of the bank to become the most preferred financial services payments brand in Nigeria to support the economic development of households and growth of trade, manufacturing and commerce in Nigeria and Africa.
“Your professional journey in this bank begins today. What you become in future in this bank depends on the goals you have set for yourself.
“You now represent the Ecobank brand which is why you must be conscious of your actions and activities both at work and anywhere you find yourself.
“Let me also advise you that since you are privileged to work in this pan African and a multi-lingual financial institution, endeavour to learn at least another language. You also need to be digitally sound to fit in to the emerging global banking environment,” he added.
Registrar/Chief Executive, Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), Mr ‘Seye Awojobi, described Ecobank as a trail blazer in the industry for hosting second digital graduation within two months.
He lauded the high premium the bank places on training and building the competencies of its workforce, stressing that Ecobank has great foresight and well positioned for the new normal in the global banking arena.
Mr Awojobi, who spoke on making a difference as a professional banker, advised the graduands to have sound industry knowledge, focus on their vision, display resilience in a high pressure environment and possess entrepreneurial mind-set to excel in the banking profession. He also harped on integrity and excellence
While assuring them of the maximum support of the Institute to help them succeed in their chosen career, he enjoined them to put to good use the top notch training offered them at the Ecobank Academy for the good of the bank, the banking sector and the economy as a whole.
“I congratulate you for choosing banking as your career. To achieve your desired success, you should imbibe the right attitude, manage your time well and focus on what is of value to you, your bank and the industry.
“You should also read wide, surround yourself with like minds, choose mentors to guide you, be ethical and display integrity n all your dealings and always strive for excellence at all times,” he said.
Welcoming the graduands formally to the bank, Acting Head, Human Resources, Ecobank Nigeria, Mr Kunle Adewuyi, said the bank is performance based that offers an enabling and conducive environment for staff to excel to the highest level.
He noted that the bank’s reward system remains a motivating factor for high performance and productivity.
He explained that the intensive management trainee program which ran for 21 months at the Ecobank Nigeria Academy was aimed at equipping the participants (graduates) who may be coming from non-financial and banking related academic backgrounds with the necessary skill solutions. He disclosed that the trainees were exposed to different departments and functions of the bank.
Group Head, Talent, Learning and organizations Development, Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI), Mr Smon Rey, who represented the Group Head, Human Resources, ETI advised the graduands on the need to aspire, strive for excellence to achieve their career goals and contribute meaningfully to the growth of the pan African bank.
He emphasized collaboration and team work to excel, urging them to brace up for the future financial system post COVID-19.
Jobs/Appointments
UNIZIK Appoints Nicholas Okoye Visiting Senior Lecturer, to Strengthen Digital Assets Education
Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK) has appointed veteran investment banker and capital markets expert, Nicholas “Nicky” Okoye, as a Visiting Senior Lecturer in a move aimed at strengthening its capital markets and digital assets curriculum amid the growing global adoption of virtual assets and blockchain-based finance.
The appointment, which takes immediate effect, is expected to deepen the university’s capacity to train enterprise executives, entrepreneurs and policymakers in emerging areas such as cryptocurrencies, stablecoins, Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs), tokenisation of real-world assets and other digital financial innovations.
UNIZIK, which hosts one of Africa’s few dedicated Capital Markets faculties, said the appointment aligns with its strategy of equipping students and professionals with the knowledge and practical skills required to navigate the rapidly evolving financial ecosystem.
The university, in its statement, described the appointment as a significant milestone for the institution.
“Securing someone of Nicky Okoye’s calibre is a game-changer. As global finance evolves, we must equip enterprise executives, entrepreneurs and policymakers with the technical knowledge required to build long-term capital formation strategies. His real-world experience is invaluable.”
Okoye brings decades of experience across global and Nigerian financial institutions. His career includes serving as a Financial Consultant at Merrill Lynch in the United States, Chief Strategy Officer at the Nigerian Exchange Group, and Founding Group Executive Director of Operations and Strategy at Transcorp Group Plc, where he led fundraising initiatives that collectively exceeded $1 billion.
He currently leads the Global Investment Advisory Community (GIAC), a coalition of local and international banks, asset managers and fintech firms working to develop a digital assets ecosystem across Africa and the Caribbean.
Beyond the private sector, Okoye has contributed to public policy, providing advisory support to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on capital market regulatory frameworks.
Stakeholders in the financial services sector have welcomed the appointment, expressing optimism that his academic engagement would help build capacity among investors and professionals as Nigeria expands its digital finance ecosystem.
Okoye also holds an honorary Doctor of Business Administration from Enugu State University of Technology, awarded in recognition of his contributions to enterprise development and business excellence.
He previously served on the Presidential Jobs Board and the National Council of Small and Medium Scale Enterprises, where he provided strategic advice on economic development. Between 2014 and 2018, he advised the Nigeria Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) on Project Triple E, an initiative designed to strengthen indigenous participation in the upstream oil and gas value chain by integrating community-based contractors.
The appointment comes as Nigeria intensifies efforts to establish a robust regulatory framework for digital assets. The Federal Government recently inaugurated a National Virtual Assets Council to coordinate the oversight and regulation of virtual and digital assets in the country.
The council is chaired by the Central Bank of Nigeria, with support from the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Nigeria Revenue Service, as part of broader efforts to promote innovation while ensuring investor protection and financial system stability.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The former Governor of Ekiti State, Mr Ayodele Fayose, has been appointed by President Bola Tinubu as the chairman of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), with immediate effect.
A statement signed by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, on Monday night said Mr Tinubu also made 25 other new appointments into 10 federal government agencies and commissions.
Also appointed was Major General Junaid Bindawa as chairman of the National Salary and Wages Commission.
On the board of REA are Mr Ahmadu Abubakar and Engineer Ilyasu Ibrahim Makinta as members and non-executive directors. The incumbent DG of the agency, Abba Abubakar Aliyu, and three executive directors previously appointed make up the remaining board members.
President Tinubu made eight other appointments to the Wages Commission, along with Mr Bindawa. Former member of the House of Representatives from Lagos, Olajumoke Okoya-Thomas, is the new secretary of the commission. Dr Ogbole Ene Lilian, Oladele Olatubosun, and Yakubu Umar Barde, representing Benue, Oyo and Kaduna, were appointed as commissioners.
Dr Mai Adamu Yau, from Borno, Ginika Florence Tor (Enugu), Engineer Lawrence Okoh (Edo) and Bello Morenike Iyabode (Kogi) were appointed as members of the commission.
Tosin Johnson Adeyanju, who was previously appointed as the Executive Secretary of the National Lottery Trust Fund (NLTF), has now been moved to the Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Commission as Secretary.
Mr Tinubu also appointed Dr Abuh Mohammed as the DG of the National Population Commission, Dr Akinola Odeyemi as Managing Director of the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading (NBET), and Dr Anthony Inalegwu Godwin as chairman/CEO of the Nigeria Atomic Energy Commission. Engineer Julius Oloro, a former council chairman, is the new CEO of the Kwara-based National Centre for Agricultural Mechanisation (NCAM), replacing Dr A.R. Kamal, who died last January.
The President constituted the board of the Fiscal Responsibility Commission, with Dr Abdullahi Maikano Saidu as chairman. Members include Mohammed Asmau, Mohammed Aliyu Makama, Dr Suleiman Gidado, Louis O. Ndukwe, Amaechi Ugwele and Olaniyi Idowu Onikola.
Shuni Muhammad Dahiru is the new executive secretary of the National Commission for Mass Literacy, Adult and Non-Formal Education, replacing Professor Shu’aibu Shehu Aliyu, who was reassigned to the Petroleum Trust Development Fund (PTDF) in April.
To replace Mathias Byuan, the former executive director, finance of the Federal Housing Authority, who resigned to contest the governorship election in Benue, President Tinubu named Gisaor Vincent Iorja. The new occupier of the position is an economist, legal scholar, and academic currently serving as the secretary of the Benue State Independent Electoral Commission (BSIEC).
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
In line with the 12-year tenure prescribed for non-executive directors of banks by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr Tony Elumelu will on August 21, 2026, cease to be chairman of United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc.
The board of the financial institution at its meeting on July 6, 2026, has elected Mr Emmanuel Nnorom as the new chairman.
In a notice to the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited, the lender said Mr Elumelu’s successor, a non-executive director of the company, will assume the new role on August 21, 2026.
Mr Nnorom is a chartered accountant with over 40 years of experience in banking, finance and audit. He brings to the role extensive leadership experience and deep institutional knowledge of UBA.
“I am honoured by the trust the Board has placed in me and deeply conscious of the legacy I inherit.
“I look forward to working with my colleagues on the board, management and our staff across all our markets to sustain UBA’s momentum and continue delivering long-term value to our shareholders, customers and stakeholders,” Mr Nnorom stated.
Commenting on his retirement, Mr Elumelu said, “Serving United Bank for Africa has been one of the great privileges of my career.
“UBA has a unique competitive position, across Africa and globally, and I leave the Board with great confidence in UBA’s future.
“Emmanuel Nnorom is a leader of integrity, experience and sound judgement, and I am confident that the Bank will continue to thrive under his leadership.”
The board thanked him for his visionary leadership and exceptional contribution to the growth, transformation and institutional strength of the UBA Group.
