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 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.
By Adedapo Adesanya
WACT-APM Terminals Nigeria has announced the appointment of Mr Courage Obadagbonyi as Managing Director, effective July 1, 2026, succeeding Mr Jeethu Jose and becoming the first Nigerian to hold the post.
The appointment reflects the organisation’s continued focus on developing strong leadership from within its global talent pool while ensuring sustained growth and operational excellence.
A seasoned executive with more than two decades of international experience, Mr Obadagbonyi has held leadership roles across finance, operations and general management at leading global organisations, including APM Terminals, General Electric and Lafarge.
Prior to this appointment, he served as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for the APM Terminals Nigeria cluster, with responsibility for financial strategy across Nigeria and San Pedro, Côte d’Ivoire.
He also served in an acting capacity as Managing Director of APM Terminals Apapa between 2025 and March 2026, further strengthening his operational leadership experience.
With experience spanning sectors such as oil and gas, power generation, logistics and healthcare, Mr Obadagbonyi brings deep expertise in financial management, risk optimisation and business performance.
Speaking on his appointment, he said, “I look forward to building on the strong foundation already in place at WACT. The terminal plays a critical role in connecting businesses in Eastern Nigeria to global markets, and we will continue to focus on safe, reliable and efficient operations.”
On his part, the Chief Executive Officer of APM Terminals Nigeria, Mr Frederik Klinke, noted that the appointment reflects the company’s commitment to leadership development and long-term growth.
“Across APM Terminals globally, we see strong collaboration and talent development across our teams. This appointment reflects the depth of experience within our organisation and our continued focus on building capabilities that support sustainable growth. Nigerians have continued to distinguish themselves through exceptional performance and leadership. Colleagues from our Apapa and Onne terminals have contributed their expertise internationally while also bringing back valuable best practices to strengthen operations in Nigeria.”
He added that Mr Obadagbonyi’s experience would support the next phase of operational excellence and value delivery at WACT.
The outgoing MD, Mr Jose, said, “It has been a privilege to lead WACT-APM Terminals Nigeria during a period of meaningful progress. The team has built a strong platform for the future, and I am confident in the continued success of the organisation.”
West Africa Container Terminal (WACT)-APM Terminals in Onne, Rivers State, is one of Nigeria’s leading container terminals, having commenced commercial operations in 2006.
The company has continued to invest in capacity expansion and modernisation, including a $115 million terminal upgrade project launched in 2020. The upgrade also includes the deployment of reefer racks with a 600-plug capacity, as well as the expansion of the existing yard, a new workshop, a new terminal auto gate, modernised offices and state-of-the-art technology. These investments have enhanced efficiency, strengthened service delivery and reinforced WACT’s role as an important gateway for trade beyond Lagos.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
A new member has joined the board of Unilever Nigeria Plc, and she is Mrs Modupe Femi-Okunbanjo, who was appointed as an executive director of the organisation.
Her appointment, according to a statement from the company, is effective June 30, 2026. It followed the resignation of Mr Ibrahim Sodipe as an executive director of the firm with effect from June 30, 2026.
Mr Sodipe was praised for his valuable service and significant contributions to the entity, particularly in driving improved turnover and profitability and supporting Unilever Nigeria’s continued progress towards sustainable and profitable growth.
Mrs Femi-Okunbanjo was described as an accomplished finance and governance leader who, for more than 15 years, has steered finance teams, shaped strategy, and strengthened risk management frameworks in the fast-moving consumer goods and telecommunications sectors.
She is currently the Financial Controller of Nigeria and Regional Controls Lead for West Africa at Unilever Nigeria, where she oversees financial governance, regulatory compliance, and enterprise risk management.
Her work has been pivotal in embedding ethical leadership and data-driven decision-making at board level, while ensuring organisations remain resilient in the face of shifting market dynamics.
The new board member has established a reputation for elevating financial reporting, advancing audit excellence, and strengthening governance frameworks, thereby positioning organisations for sustainable growth and long-term value creation.
In her previous roles, she has a consistent track record of delivering margin expansion, enhancing governance & control environments, and leading transformation in challenging macroeconomic conditions.
She is equally committed to developing future talent and advancing financial literacy among younger generations.
Prior to her joining Unilever Nigeria Plc in 2018, Mrs Femi-Okunbanjo held key roles at UAC of Nigeria Plc, Helios Towers Nigeria, and Makasa Sun Nigeria Limited, where she pioneered control frameworks from the ground up, eliminating revenue leakages, digitising operations and embedding financial discipline.
A Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and a Member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA), she holds a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Lagos State University and an MBA with Specialisation in Strategy from the Edinburgh Business School, Heriot-Watt University, UK.
