Business
Nigerian Banks Led by Female CEOs: The Most Powerful in 2024
The banking industry, although dominated by the male gender in recent years, has been seeing an influx of women taking up top management roles.
Nigerian women are undoubtedly making their mark in the banking industry today and are not to be underestimated.
Here are the women leading top banks in Nigeria as of January 2024 that this article was filed:
1. Miriam Olusanya (GT Bank)
Miriam Olusanya is the first female Managing Director at Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB) since its establishment in 1990.
Her appointment was announced in a statement on Wednesday, July 14 by Erhi Obebeduo, the company’s secretary.
She has over 23 years of banking experience under her belt across various units, including Transaction Services, Asset and Liability Management, Financial Markets, Corporate Finance, and Investor Relations.
2. Yemisi Edun (FCMB)
Yemisi Edun is the first female managing director/chief executive officer of First City Monument Bank (FCMB).
She assumed this position in July 2021 after the suspension of her predecessor, Adam Nuhu.
Yemisi Edun holds a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from the University of Ife, Ile-Ife and a Master’s degree in International Accounting and Finance from the University of Liverpool, United Kingdom.
She is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria and a CFA® Charter holder. She is also an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers; an Associate Member of the Institute of Taxation of Nigeria; a Member of Information Systems Audit and Control, U.S.A; and a Certified Information Systems Auditor.
She began her career with Akintola Williams Deloitte (member firm of Deloitte Touché Tohmatsu) in 1987, with main focus in Corporate Finance activities. She was also involved in audit of Banks and Other Financial Institutions. She joined FCMB in 2000 as Divisional Head of Internal Audit and Control before assuming the role of Chief Financial Officer of the Bank.
3. Halima Buba (SunTrust Bank)
Halima Buba is the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of SunTrust Bank Nigeria Limited.
The Nigerian business woman and banker from Adamawa state has over 22 years cognate experience obtained from working in Allstates Trust Bank, Zenith Bank, Inland Bank Plc, Oceanic Bank Plc and Ecobank Nigeria Limited.
Prior to her appointment to Sun Trust Bank Ltd as MD/CEO, Halima is a Co-founder and former Executive Director in Taj Consortium, an organisation of young dynamic technocrats and financial advisory experts.
She holds a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) degree in Business Management from the University of Maiduguri and an MBA from the same University.
4. Ireti Samuel-Ogbu (Citibank)
After 36 years of Citigroup operating in Nigeria, Ireti Samuel-Ogbu became the first Nigerian to head the American multinational investment bank and financial services corporation.
Prior to her appointment, Ireti Samuel-Ogbu was the Managing Director, EMEA Payments and Receivables Head with Citibank’s Treasury and Trade Solutions division. She was responsible for the P&L, Product development, and Solutions utilized by Financial institutions, Corporates, and Public sector customers.
Ireti has had a 31-year career at Citigroup working in 3 countries; Nigeria, UK, and South Africa performing various roles which span Relationship Management with Global Subsidiaries Group and the Public Sector Banking Team, Corporate Finance and as Transaction Services Head for two of the largest markets in Africa.
She has been the leading voice for the institution on open banking, following Citi’s announcement that it was the first corporate bank to enroll as a payment initiation service provider.
5. Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe (Fidelity Bank)
Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe assumed office as Managing Director/CEO, Fidelity Bank on January 1, 2021.
Mrs. Onyeali-Ikpe had been an integral part of the transformation team at Fidelity Bank in the last six years. She was formerly Executive Director, Lagos and South West, overseeing the bank’s business in the six states that make up the south-west region of the bank. She led the transformation of the Directorate to profitability and sustained its impressive year-on-year growth, across key performance metrics, including contributing over 28% of the Bank’s PBT, Deposits and Loans.
She is a consummate professional of over 30 years’ experience across various banks including Standard Chartered Bank Plc, Zenith Bank Plc and Citizens International Bank Limited, where she held several management positions in Legal, Treasury, Investment Banking, Retail/Commercial Banking, Corporate Banking. She has been involved in the structuring of transactions in various sectors including oil & gas, manufacturing, aviation, real estate and exports.
6. Tomi Somefun (Unity Bank)
Oluwatomi Somefun is an award-winning Nigerian banker. She is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO)/ Managing Director (MD) of Unity Bank, making her the first woman in the bank’s history to hold this position.
Mrs. Somefun also had a successful career at the United Bank for Africa Plc (UBA). While at UBA, she managed and sat on the boards of several subsidiaries, including UBA Trustee, UBA Plc, UBA Capital, and Trustee Ltd.
The phenomenal banker was the pioneering Managing Director (MD)/Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of UBA Pension Custodian Ltd. She managed UBA Pension Custodian Ltd for eight years and also supervised the South-West region of the bank at the same time.
7. Kafilat Araoye (Lotus Bank)
Kafilat Araoye is the Managing Director of Lotus Bank. She has over 25 years of experience in the banking industry.
She holds a first degree in History from the University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University (1985), and an M.Sc. in Industrial Relations & Personnel Management from the University of Lagos (1987), graduating as the best student in her class.
Araoye started her career in 1988 at National Oil and Chemicals Marketing Company Plc (now Conoil Nigeria Plc), and moved in 1990 to Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, as the pioneer head of Human Resources.
She was part of the GTBank team that went to Jordan for the implementation of its core banking application amongst other critical assignments executed for the Bank.
Kafilat left with accolades in 2015 as General Manager but continued to consult for banks and other sectors through her consulting outfit until 2018, when she was appointed as the MD Designate for LOTUS Bank then in formation.
8. Bukola Smith (FSDH Merchant Bank)
Bukola Smith is the Managing Director of FSDH Merchant Bank (FSDH). She started the role in April 2021. Prior to her appointment as the FSDH Merchant Bank Director, she worked at First City Monument Bank Limited.
Smith at FCMB rose through the ranks until April 2017, when she was appointed as the Executive Director, Business Development, Lagos region of the bank.
Bukola Smith holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics from University of Lagos, and also holds an MBA from Manchester Business School, University of Manchester, United Kingdom.
She started her banking career with FSB International Bank (now part of Fidelity Bank) and her experience cuts across Customer Service, Funds Transfer, International Trade, Institutional Banking, Private Banking, Treasury, Investment & Financial Markets, Project & Structured Finance, Audit and Sales.
She became a Chartered Accountant in 1998 and is currently a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accounts of Nigeria (ICAN).
She is an Associate Member of the Certified Institute of Pensions, Nigeria and also a Committee member of CIBN Annual Conference (Honorary Member of CIBN).
9. Yetunde Oni (Union Bank)
Yetunde Oni was appointed as the Managing Director (MD)/Cheif Executive Officer (CEO) of Union Bank following the dissolution of the boards and managements of Union Bank, Keystone Bank, and Polaris Bank by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
Oni is an experienced banker in emerging markets with over 29 years of expertise in client solutions, relationship management, team leadership, and talent development.
Disclaimer
The information in this article was curated from online sources. NewsWireNGR or its editorial team cannot independently verify all details.
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