United Bank for Africa Plc (UBA) has announced a significant reshaping of its executive leadership, notifying the Nigerian Exchange Limited of the retirement of four Executive Directors and the appointment of three new Executive Directors, effective January 1, 2026, subject to regulatory approval.
In a board notice dated Friday, December 12, 2025, UBA confirmed that the retirements follow the completion of tenure of the affected executives, marking a transition at the top tier of one of Africa’s largest banking groups.
Four Executive Directors Retire
The outgoing executives are:
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Mr. Muyiwa Akinyemi, Deputy Managing Director
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Mrs. Abiola Bawuah, Executive Director
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Mr. Alex Alozie, Executive Director
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Mrs. Sola Yomi-Ajayi, Executive Director
Commenting on the retirements, UBA Group Chairman Mr. Tony O. Elumelu, CFR, praised the departing executives for their service and impact on the Group’s growth.
“Each of them has made significant contributions to the growth and success of UBA Group,” Elumelu said, adding that they would remain “cherished members of the UBA family and enduring ambassadors of the values and standards we represent”
New Executive Directors Appointed
The Board also approved the appointment of three new Executive Directors, strengthening UBA’s leadership in digital banking, corporate banking, and its Nigeria operations.
Mr. Emmanuel Lamptey has been appointed Executive Director, Digital Banking. He brings 25 years of multinational banking experience spanning retail and corporate banking, asset management, pensions, insurance, and microfinance across more than 30 African countries. 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 was appointed Executive Director, Corporate Banking, with over 25 years of experience across Sub-Saharan Africa, including senior management and regulator-approved roles in London and Lagos. A Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants and an alumnus of Wharton Business School, Adewuyi has led major corporate, sovereign, and structured finance engagements and is recognised for building high-performance banking teams.
Mr. Chidi Okpala joins as Executive Director, UBA Nigeria. Until his appointment, Okpala served as Executive Director for Payments, Group Integration and Strategy at Heirs Holdings. With more than 20 years of banking experience, he brings deep expertise in payments, financial services innovation, corporate strategy, and ecosystem development. He holds degrees from London Business School, where he is a Sloan Fellow.
Positioning for the Next Phase of Growth
Announcing the appointments, Elumelu said the Board was confident the new executives would build on the strong foundation laid by their predecessors and help drive UBA’s next phase of growth.
UBA operates in 20 African countries, as well as the United Kingdom, United States, France, and the United Arab Emirates, serving over 50 million customers globally and employing about 30,000 people across the Group.
The appointments remain subject to the approval of the Central Bank of Nigeria.
