Adaora Umeoji will be taking on the leadership helm at Zenith Bank, a major Nigerian bank. She’ll officially start as the group’s managing director and CEO on June 1, 2024. This is exciting news, as Umeoji joins a growing group of powerful women leading Nigerian banks. There are already seven other female CEOs running major banks in the country.
A report by Agusto Consulting just revealed that women are making big strides on company boards. In 2022, the number of female board members reached an all-time high. This isn’t a one-time jump, either. Over the past five years, the number of women on boards has steadily increased. In 2018, only 18% of board seats were held by women. But by 2022, that number had risen to an impressive 25%.
While Nigeria is making progress, there’s still room to grow. Countries like South Africa (at 36%), the United Kingdom (at 41%), and the United States (at 35%) all have a higher percentage of women in board positions. This shows there’s an opportunity for Nigeria to continue its upward trend and reach an even greater gender balance.
Profiles of Women Leading MDs and CEOs of Some Other Major Nigerian Banks.
Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe, Fidelity Bank
Onyeali-Ikpe, one of the powerful women leading Nigerian banks, is the current managing director/CEO of Fidelity Bank. She holds degrees from the University of Nigeria and Kings College, London, and has attended executive training programs at several institutions. Onyeali-Ikpe was previously the executive director for Lagos and the South West region of the bank. She is also an honorary senior member of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria.
Tomi Somefun, Unity Bank
Tomi Somefun is the current MD/CEO of Unity Bank. She graduated from Obafemi Awolowo University with a Bachelor of Education in English Language. She holds an honorary degree of Doctor of Business Administration from Redeemer’s University. Before she was appointed the managing director/CEO of Unity Bank in August 2015, she served as the executive director overseeing the Lagos and South-West Business directorates, the financial institution division, and the treasury department of the bank. She is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria and the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria.
Miriam Olusanya, Guaranty Trust Bank Limited
Miriam Olusanya is the managing director of a bank in Nigeria. She holds a Bachelor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Liverpool, United Kingdom. Before becoming the bank’s MD, she served as the group treasurer and head of the wholesale banking division. She is also a non-executive director of the Nigerian Interbank Settlement System and the Shared Agent Network Expansion Facilities. Additionally, she is a member of the Financial Markets Sub-Committee of the Bankers’ Committee.
Ireti Samuel-Ogbu, Citi Bank
Ireti Samuel-Ogbu is the CEO and country officer for Nigeria and Ghana at Citi Bank. She holds a BA Hons degree in Accounting and Finance from Middlesex University, UK, and an MBA from the University of Bradford, UK. Before she was appointed CEO, she served as the managing director of Europe, Middle East, and Africa payments and receivables head, treasury, and trade solutions under Citi’s Institutional Clients Group, based in London, UK. Ireti Samuel-Ogbu also co-founded two impactful mentorship initiatives within Citi. These include the Sapphire Leadership Program for the Middle East and Africa, and the Momentum Program in the UK.
Yemisi Edun, FCMB
Yemisi Edun has a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the University of Ife and a master’s degree in international accounting and finance from the University of Liverpool, UK. She is also a member of several professional organizations, including the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers and the Institute of Taxation of Nigeria. Edun began her career with Akintola Williams Deloitte in 1987 and joined FCMB in 2000 as divisional head of internal audit and control. She was appointed managing director of the bank on May 1, 2021.
Bolaji Agbede, Access Holdings
Bolaji Agbede was the most senior founding executive director at the company before being appointed as acting group CEO. She had previously worked at Guaranty Trust Bank and JKG Limited before joining Access Bank in 2003 as an assistant general manager. She has been the head of human resources for the Access Bank Group since 2010. Agbede holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Mathematics and Statistics from the University of Lagos and a Master of Business Administration Degree from Cranfield University, UK.
Yetunde Oni, managing director/CEO of Union Bank of Nigeria
Banking powerhouse Yetunde Oni brings 25 years of experience to Union Bank. She excels at leading teams, and crafting client solutions, and she boasts a strong academic background (Economics degree, MBA, Oxford executive training).
Yetunde Oni began her career at Prime Merchant Bank’s Treasury & Money Markets Group. She then spent 11 years at Ecobank Nigeria as a Relationship Manager. In 2005, she joined Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria, rising to Managing Director & Country Head of Commercial Banking for West Africa. Before joining Union Bank, Yetunde Oni made history as the first female Managing Director and CEO at Standard Chartered Bank in Sierra Leone.
Bukola Smith, FSDH Merchant Bank
Bukola Smith has a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Lagos and an MBA from Manchester Business School. She has extensive experience in banking, including customer service, treasury, investment, project finance, audits, and sales. She has held various positions at Fidelity Bank and First City Monument Bank Limited, including divisional head of Treasury and institutional banking, group head of Treasury and Financial Institutions, divisional head of Investment Banking and Financial Markets, director of project and Structured Finance, and divisional head of Group Internal Audit.
Halima Buba, Suntrust Bank
Halima Buba, who is also one of the women leading Nigerian banks, is a seasoned banker with over 22 years of experience. She holds a B.Sc. in business management and an MBA from the University of Maiduguri. She is an honorary fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers and a fellow of the Institute of Management Consultants. Buba is the MD/CEO of Sun Trust Bank Ltd. and sits on the board of several reputable institutions.
Kafilat Araoye, Lotus Bank
Araoye has a degree in History and an M.Sc. in industrial relations & personnel management. She holds Islamic finance certifications. She started her career in 1988 at National Oil and Chemicals Marketing Company Plc and moved to Guaranty Trust Bank Plc in 1990 as the pioneer head of human resources.
This increase in female board members is a positive sign. It suggests that companies in Nigeria are recognizing the value of diversity in leadership. The future looks bright for women in Nigerian boardrooms! With continued progress, we can expect to see even more women shaping the direction of businesses in the future.