NBCC Appoints Ayomide Olajide as New DG

By Ahmed Rahma

The Nigerian-British Chamber of Commerce has appointed a development sector professional, Mrs Ayomide Olajide, as the new Director-General.

Mrs Olajide, whose appointment has been effective since February 1, had served as the Acting Director-General of the organisation for almost a year.

Until the new DG’s recent appointment, she was also the Director of Programmes and Membership at NBCC, where she led the team to deliver the mandate of expanding the chamber’s membership network and its profile.

In a statement to announce her appointment, it was stated that “In 2020, she won the Presidential Award as Most Supportive Secretariat Staff, first of its kind in the history of the Chamber.

“Before this role, Olajide worked with Women in Management, Business and Public Service, as Programmes Manager, where she managed the programme team to deliver high impact conferences, lectures and events.

“She was also the coordinator for ‘The Nigerian Women on Boards Programme’ a highly successful initiative created for qualified women to occupy board seats.

“She ensured that the companies on whose boards they served, developed and implemented policies beyond corporate expectations to helping women overcome the socio-economic challenges they face.”

Mrs Olajide has a Master’s degree in International Relations from the University of Warwick and a Bachelor’s degree from Babcock University in International Law and Diplomacy.

She also has attended several courses on Supporting Public Advocacy for Regional Competitiveness in Nigeria, Kenya and Uganda.

As the new Director-General, Mrs Olajide is expected to implement the strategic initiatives of the chamber and ensure that the secretariat attains global standards of excellence in serving their members, even as the agency continues to pursue its mandate of fostering bilateral relations between Nigeria and Britain.

The new DG, who has over 10 years of experience in project management and non-profit leadership, succeeded Mr Gbenga Adebija, a multi-disciplinary administrator, technocrat and business leader.

The former DG has an impeccable record of excellence and purpose-oriented leadership with over 27 years of top-notch experience in both the private and public sectors of the economy.