Jobs/Appointments
Onafriq to Accelerate Growth With Simon Black as Board Chairman
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
A veteran in the financial technology (fintech) ecosystem, Mr Simon Black, has been appointed to the board of Onafriq to accelerate its growth.
Mr Black joins the board of the digital payments network as an independent non-executive director of Onafriq UK Holdings Limited, the parent firm of Onafriq.
His appointment underscores Onafriq’s commitment to assembling world-class leadership capable of propelling the company’s infrastructure across Africa and beyond.
His global perspective and proven success in forging partnerships with industry giants will prove invaluable as Onafriq cements its position as the definitive network of networks for African payments.
As the board chairman, Mr Black will work closely with the founder and chief executive of Onafriq, Mr Dare Okoudjou, as well the executive team, board, and the shareholder base to provide strategic guidance, focusing on cross-border scale, global partnerships, and long-term value creation.
He brings to the organisation over three decades of experience building and scaling payments and technology platforms to support Onafriq’s next phase of growth.
“Simon’s appointment comes at a transformative moment in Onafriq’s journey. To fulfil our mission of making borders matter less across Africa, we must build upon our strong foundations to create an even more resilient and innovative business.
“His exceptional track record of scaling fintech leaders and navigating complexity makes him the ideal chairman to guide this next phase.
“His strategic expertise will be instrumental as we strengthen our position as Africa’s payments infrastructure backbone and accelerate financial inclusion throughout the continent,” Mr Okoudjou commented.
“Joining Onafriq is not only a professional privilege, but a personal commitment to a mission I deeply believe in. The company has built what is arguably the most extensive and sophisticated digital payments infrastructure on the continent—connecting over 500 million wallets and 200 million bank accounts across 42 African markets. That scale, combined with a deep understanding of local markets, uniquely positions Onafriq to solve the continent’s most pressing payment challenges.
“I am excited to support the team in shaping the future of cross-border finance in Africa and enabling seamless commerce at a scale the world hasn’t seen before,” Mr Black said.
The new board chairman has earned industry-wide recognition for transforming high-potential fintech and software businesses into market leaders.
During his tenure as CEO of PPRO from 2015 to 2023, he steered the German-based payments infrastructure provider from an emerging start-up to a formidable global player, driving revenue growth beyond €100 million while expanding the team to more than 500 professionals across many markets.
Previously, as CEO of Sage Pay, Mr Black orchestrated tenfold revenue growth, establishing the company as a leading force in SME ecommerce payments.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The board of Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc has appointed its Independent Non-Executive Director, Mr Arnold Ekpe, as the new chairman following the retirement of Mr Aliko Dangote as the head of the company after 20 years.
A statement from the organisation on Thursday disclosed that the retirement of the founder of the company takes effect from Monday, June 16, 2025.
The notice signed by the company’s secretary, Ms Temitope Hassan, revealed that Mr Dangote, who is the richest man in Africa, has been at the helm of his sugar business leadership since 2005.
The businessman is credited with steering Dangote Sugar into a market leader in Nigeria’s sugar industry, overseeing major expansion projects and strengthening corporate governance.
“In line with the principles of good corporate governance and succession planning, Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc hereby announces the retirement of our esteemed Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Company, Alhaji Aliko Dangote (GCON), effective June 16, 2025,” the statement read.
Mr Dangote owns stakes in businesses, including food, cement, energy, and plastics among others.
The statement noted that under his leadership, the firm implemented key Backward Integration Projects in Adamawa, Taraba, and Nasarawa States to improve local sugar production and reduce import dependence.
“Following a rigorous selection and transition process, the Board is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr Arnold Ekpe, Independent Non-Executive Director as the new Chairman of Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc. effective 16th June 2025,” the statement added.
Mr Ekpe is a seasoned banker and former group CEO of Ecobank, with extensive boardroom and leadership experience across sectors.
“We welcome Mr Ekpe to his new role and look forward to the next chapter in our Company’s journey under his leadership. We also express our deep appreciation to Aliko Dangote for his years of exemplary service and unwavering commitment to excellence,” the statement concluded.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The Director General of the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) has been elected into the executive council of Business Africa.
The platform is the leading continental voice of employers and private sector organisations across Africa, with headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya.
It serves as a vital platform for promoting private sector development and regional business integration, while also representing African business interests at regional and international forums, including the African Union (AU) and the International Labour Organization (ILO).
The group is also the umbrella organization representing the interests of the private sector in Africa, serving as a key platform for dialogue between African businesses, governments, and international partners, advocating for policies that promote economic growth, regional integration, and sustainable development.
At the General Assembly of Business Africa on Tuesday, June 10, 2025, at the United Nations Office in Geneva, Switzerland, Mr Oyerinde promised to foster Africa’s economic growth and regional integration.
“I am deeply honoured and humbled to be elected to the Executive Council of Business Africa. This is a critical time for Africa’s economic trajectory, and I am eager to contribute to an organization that is so dedicated to empowering our continent’s businesses and unlocking its immense potential.
“I look forward to collaborating with fellow council members to advance policies that foster innovation, attract investment, and create widespread and inclusive prosperity,” the Nigerian stated.
Mr Oyerinde brings a wealth of experience and a proven track record in private sector advocacy, business linkages, sustainable development, digital transformation, regional economic cooperation, investment/trade promotions and leading initiatives focused on empowering SMEs across the continent.
He joins a distinguished group of business leaders from across the continent, that are providing strategic oversight to Business Africa’s efforts in promoting sustainable enterprise development, decent work, job creation, competitive business landscape and economic integration and renaissance across Africa.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The staff strength of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited went down by 197 or 3.46 per cent to 5,495 at the end of the first quarter of 2025 from 5,692 at the end of the first quarter of 2024.
This information was revealed by the national oil firm, which also said its latest workforce was 1.28 per cent or 71 staff lower than the 5,566 recorded in the fourth quarter of 2024.
The report added that 81.8 per cent of the company’s employees are males, while 18.2 per cent are females.
Giving a breakdown of its employees, NNPC disclosed that it has 188 workers in its junior category, comprising 179 males and nine females; while its senior category has 4,118 employees, made up of 3,389 males and 729 females.
Furthermore, the state oil firm said it has 1,025 staff in its middle management category as at the end of the first quarter of 2025, consisting of 803 males and 222 females; while in the top management category, it had 122 males and 42 females, bringing the total staff strength in that category to 164.
Further analysis of its employee data showed that the NNPC had only a staff, a male, in its Junior Staff 2 (JS2) category; 187 members of staff in its JS 1 category; 33 staff in its Senior Staff 7 (SS7) category; 64 staff in its SS6 category; 1,081 staff and 163 staff in its SS5 and SS4 categories, respectively.
In its SS3, SS2 and SS1 category, the NNPC Limited had 354 staff, 488 staff and 1,935 staff, respectively; while in its Management 6 (M6) cadre, the NNPCL had 724 staff.
NNPC had 301 staff, 120 staff, 38 staff, five staff and one staff in its M5, M4, M3, M2 and M1 cadres, respectively.
Recall that President Bola Tinubu in April sacked the former chief executive of the NNPC, Mr Mele Kolo Kyari; the board chairman of the corporation, Mr Pius Akinyelure, and all other board members.
The sacked chief executive was replaced by Mr Bashir Bayo Ojulari, while Mr Ahmadu Musa Kida was appointed non-executive chairman.
The NNPC also carried out a restructuring with a number of senior management staff disengaged, including Mr Bala Wunti, former chief executive of the National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS); Mr Ibrahim Onoja, former managing director of the Kaduna Refinery and Petrochemical Company (KRPC) and Mr Lawal Sade, the chief compliance officer and former managing director of NNPC Trading, among others.
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