UBA Strengthens Leadership Team, Announces Key Executive Board Appointments and Retirements Effective January 1, 2026

• Strategic appointments underscore UBA’s commitment to innovation, customer experience, and continental leadership in financial services.
• Incoming executives bring over 70 years of combined experience.

United Bank for Africa Plc (UBA) has announced significant changes to its Executive Board, following the completion of tenure by four long-serving Executive Directors. The retirements, which take effect on January 1, 2026, include Deputy Managing Director Mr. Muyiwa Akinyemi, and Executive Directors Mrs. Abiola Bawuah, Mr. Alex Alozie, and Mrs. Sola Yomi-Ajayi.

In line with UBA’s robust succession and leadership development strategy, the Board has approved the appointment of three new Executive Directors—Mr. Emmanuel Lamptey, Mr. Tosin Adewuyi and Mr. Chidi Okpala—effective January 1, 2026, subject to regulatory approval by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

Executive Appointments:

Mr. Emmanuel Lamptey – Executive Director, Digital Banking:

Mr. Lamptey brings 25 years of multinational and cross-functional experience spanning retail and corporate banking, asset management, securities brokerage, pensions, insurance and microfinance, with operations across more than 30 African countries.

A proven leader in digital transformation, customer experience enhancement, and operational excellence, he has held several executive and non-executive board roles within and outside financial services.

Lamptey is an alumnus of Harvard Business School, a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (UK), and holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Cape Coast, Ghana.

Mr. Tosin Adewuyi – Executive Director, Corporate Banking:

With over 25 years of experience across Sub-Saharan Africa—including more than 15 years in senior management, FCA- and CBN-approved roles in London and Lagos—Mr. Adewuyi has driven senior client engagement across a broad corporate and sovereign clientele.

He has built high-performing teams, executed business turnarounds, and held strategic roles across Structured Trade Finance, Corporate and Investment Banking, Debt Capital Markets, Financial Institutions Coverage, and Correspondent Banking.

Adewuyi is a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (FCCA), holds a BA (Hons) in Economics and Accounting from the University of Manchester, is an Honorary Member of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, and an alumnus of The Wharton School.

Mr. Chidi Okpala – Executive Director, UBA Nigeria:

Prior to his appointment, Mr. Okpala served as Executive Director for Payments, Group Integration and Strategy at Heirs Holdings, where he provided leadership across the Group’s payments businesses while overseeing strategic investments in technology and healthcare.

With extensive expertise in payments, financial innovation, corporate strategy, and ecosystem development, he has driven scalable platform development and cross-business value creation across Africa.

Okpala has more than 20 years of banking experience and holds a BSc in Finance, an MBA in Banking and Finance, and an MSc in Leadership and Strategy from London Business School, where he is a Sloan Fellow.

Group Chairman, Tony Elumelu’s Remarks:

Commenting on the appointments, UBA Group Chairman, Tony Elumelu, said:

“I congratulate the incoming Executive Directors on their appointments. The Board is confident that they will bring the experience, depth and execution capability needed to build on the solid foundation laid by their predecessors and to propel UBA into its next phase of growth.”

Elumelu also expressed appreciation to the retiring executives:

“I extend my sincere gratitude to our retiring Executive Directors for their years of dedicated service and unwavering commitment. Each has played a significant role in UBA’s growth and success. On behalf of the Board, I thank them for their contributions and commend the impact they have made. They remain cherished members of the UBA family and enduring ambassadors of our values.”

The Africa’s global bank also announced other group executive management appointments. 

·     Mr. Vikrant Bhansali, Group Executive, International Banking. Before his appointment as Group Executive. International Banking,  Vikrant served as chief executive officer of United Bank for Africa Plc in Dubai, where he leads the bank’s Middle East operations and strategic expansion across the region. With more than 25 years of international banking experience spanning Sub- Saharan Africa, the United Kingdom, the Middle East, North Africa and India, he brings deep expertise in cross-border financial services and emerging markets.

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·     Mr. Joel Owoade, Group Chief Risk Officer. Owoade brings over two decades of experience in the financial services industry, with a strong background in credit risk management, strategic planning, and regulatory compliance. He holds an M.Sc. in banking and finance from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, and qualified as a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria in 1991. He also serves as the vice president of the Chartered Risk Management Institute of Nigeria. His academic background and professional qualifications have equipped him with a deep understanding of the financial landscape, enabling him to make significant contributions to the institutions he has served.

·     Mr. Samuel Ocheho , Group Executive, Treasury and Financial Institutions: Samuel  is a seasoned financial markets executive with over 27 years of experience spanning banking, trading, and investment management. Throughout his distinguished career, Samuel has successfully led diverse financial portfolios and large teams across Nigeria and West Africa. His expertise covers liquidity management, fixed income, derivatives, and foreign exchange. Renowned for his results-driven leadership, he has consistently delivered exceptional performance, driving revenue growth, shaping market behaviours, and sustaining operational excellence.

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United Bank for Africa operates in 20 African countries, as well as the United Kingdom, the United States, France, and the United Arab Emirates. The bank provides retail, commercial, and institutional banking services, and is a leader in financial inclusion and technology-driven banking solutions. UBA is one of the largest employers in the African financial sector, with 30,000 employees across the Group and more than 50 million customers globally.