Leadership

Chairman

Dr. Umaru Kwairanga

Dr. Kwairanga has 25 years’ cognate experience in the banking, pensions, investment, manufacturing and commercial sectors. He has served previously as a Council member of the Nigerian Stock Exchange and is currently a Council member of the Institute of Directors of Nigeria; and an active director on the boards of many quoted/listed and unquoted companies including Ashaka Cement Plc where he served for over ten years, first as a Director and later as Chairman of the Board. He is currently the GMD/CEO of Finmal Finance Services Limited.

He is a Fellow of Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers, Fellow of Certified Pension Institute Nigeria (2005) and Fellow of Institute of Directors of Nigeria. He is Chairman – Commerce, Trade and Investment subcommittee of Gombe State transition committee.

Dr. Kwairanga has a B.Sc (Hons) Business Administration (1991) and MBA (1995) both from University of Maiduguri and M.Sc. Finance & Governance from Liverpool John Moores University (2007).

Director

Mr. Oluwole Adeosun

Mr. Adeosun is the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Chartwell Securities Limited. Chartwell Securities Limited is registered by the Securities and Exchange Commission as a Broker/Dealer firm and an Issuing House.

He was the Chief Executive Officer of Intercontinental Securities Limited (2000 to 2007). He served as a pioneer member of the Governing Council of the Government promoted Abuja Securities Exchange (Now National Commodity Exchange) (2005 to 2007). He is an active participant in the affairs of the Association of Securities Dealing Houses of Nigeria and serve on its Legal and Market Development & Technical Committees. As a capital market professional, he was involved in the packaging and execution of major capital raising issues, mergers and acquisition mandates and debt conversion transactions in the Nigerian capital market before and after the universal banking era with unique market precedent initiatives.

He has been a long-standing member of the Governing Council of the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers since April 2013 and currently serves as the Institute’s First Vice President. He serves on the Boards of Chartwell Securities Limited, Chartwell Bureau De Change Limited, Chartwell BDC (UK) Limited Chartwell Partners (Chartered Accountants), and Chartwell HUB (UK) Limited. He was elected to the National Council of The Nigerian Stock exchange in September 2017 and served at various times on the Quotations Committee, Regulation Committee, Technical and Business Committee, Governance and Remuneration Committee, Audit and Risk Management Committee between September 2017 and March 2021.

He holds a B.Sc. (Hons) (Business Administration) from the University of Ilorin (1986) and MBA (Finance & Banking) from University of Lagos (1993). He qualified as a Chartered Accountant in May 1991. He attended the US Capital Markets program of the New York Institute of Finance (1999) and the Lagos Business School’s Chief Executives Program (2006). Mr. Adeosun is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria, Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers, and the Institute of Directors. He is also a member of the Society for Corporate Governance, Nigeria.

Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer

Mr. Oscar N. Onyema, OON

Mr. Onyema is the Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian Exchange Group Plc. Prior to attaining this position, he was the CEO of The Nigerian Stock Exchange for 10 years. In his current role, he is the Chairman of the Group Executive Committee. He is also the Chairman of two affiliate companies: Central Securities Clearing System Plc (CSCS), the clearing, settlement and depository for the Nigerian capital market; and NG Clearing Limited, which is the premier Central Counter Party Clearing House (CCP) in Nigeria. He serves on several other boards domestically and internationally including Pension Commission of Nigeria (PENCOM), London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) Africa Advisory Group (LAAG), and the World Federation of Exchanges.

He was the President of African Securities Exchanges Association (ASEA) between 2014 and 2018. He has served as a Council member of Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS); Global Agenda Council member of World Economic Forum (WEF); and Board member of FMDQ OTC Plc (now FMDQ Securities Exchange Plc). Prior to relocating to Nigeria, he served as Senior Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer at American Stock Exchange (Amex). He also ran the NYSE Amex equity business after the merger of NYSE Euronext and Amex in 2008.

Mr. Onyema is the proud awardee of the Nigerian national honour, Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON); Fellow of the Institute of Directors (IOD); Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS); Associate of Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment (CISI) in the UK; and Holder of FINRA Series 7, 24, and 63 in the USA. Forbes listed him as one of the ten most powerful men in Africa in 2015.

Mr. Onyema holds a B.Sc (Computer Engineering) (1991) from Obafemi Awolowo University, MBA (Finance and Investments) (1998) from Baruch College, New York. He has also completed the Advanced Management Program (AMP) of Harvard Business School (2015).

Director

Mrs. Fatimah Bintah Bello – Ismail

Mrs. Bello- Ismail is the Managing Partner Universal Chambers, a firm of Barristers, Solicitors and Notary Public. She worked at Kehinde Sofola & Co, and Continental Merchant Bank Plc.

She currently serves on the Board of Katsina State Investment and Properties Development Company. She is the Secretary of the International Cancer Centre Abuja. She served as a panelist on WIMBIZ’s 10th Anniversary Lecturer Series “Women on Board” in March 2012. She was invited by the Republic of Turkey to participate in the W20 (Women 20) Summit- a sub group and initiative of the Term Presidency of Turkey G20 in October 2015. She previously served on the Board of National Insurance Company of Nigeria.

She obtained her LLB from Ahmadu Bello University Zaria (LLB) and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1984.

Director

Mr. Chidi Agbapu

Mr. Agbapu is the Managing Director of Planet Capital Limited. Planet Capital Limited is a boutique firm licensed by The Exchange and Securities and Exchange Commission to operate as an Issuing House, Stockbrokers and Financial Advisors.

He was the former Managing Director of Emerging Capital Limited.

He serves on the Board of General Cotton Mill Onitsha, MTI Plc and MTI Ltd (Ghana). He is a past director of Central Securities and Clearing System Plc (CSCS) and Bendel Feeds & Flour Mills Plc. He is the Chairman of the Shareholders Audit Committee of Fidelity Bank Plc.

He obtained a B.Sc. (Economics) from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (1986) and a Masters in Banking & Finance from the University of Lagos. He completed the Advance Management Programme of the Lagos Business School.

Director

Mr. Patrick Ajayi

Mr. Ajayi is the Managing Director/CEO of WCM Capital Limited (Previously known as Woodland Capital Markets Plc). He qualified as a Stock Broker in 2004 and worked with Support Services Limited (a stockbroking Firm) prior to joining Woodland Capital Markets Plc. in 2013. He helped to turn around the fortunes of Woodland Capital Markets Plc. when he joined in 2013 as part of the new Management Team.

He serves on the Boards of Ned Phillips Capital Limited and WCM Capital Limited, WCM3 Investments Limited and Letshego Microfinance Bank. He is a Member of the Statutory Audit Committee, Central Securities Clearing Systems Plc.

Mr. Ajayi holds a B.Sc. (Physics) from Obafemi Awolowo University (1995). He is an Associate member of Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers, and the Commodities Brokers Association of Nigeria.

Director

Mrs. Ojinika Nkechinyelu Olaghere

Mrs. Olaghere is the Managing Consultant of Rickela Consulting Limited. She retired from Access Bank Nigeria Plc in June 2018 as Executive Director, Operations and Information Technology. Prior to her appointment as an Executive Director, she had served as General Manager, General Resource Management Group and General Manager, The Enterprise Support Group. Prior to joining Access Bank in 2007, Mrs. Olaghere worked with Ecobank Nigeria for 16 years, in the Operations Group before moving to Consumer Banking. She started her career as a translator at Tropical Farming Magazine and the Embassy of Guinea. In 1987, she joined Coopers & Lybrand (Chartered Accountants) (now PriceWaterhouseCoopers).

Mrs. Olaghere currently sits as a Non-Executive Director on the Boards of First Ally Management Limited and Coscharis Technologies. She is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria.

She holds a Diploma in French and Literature from Université de Grenoble III, FRANCE (1983; and a B.A.(French) from University of Nigeria, Nsukka (1984). She has also attended courses at Harvard Business School, INSEAD, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, London Business School and Lagos Business School.

Director

Dr. Okechukwu Crescent Itanyi

Dr. Itanyi has over 30 years’ experience in the public and private sectors. He presently directs two investment and property development companies: Valuehouse Limited and Wata Resources Limited. He is a former Executive Commissioner (Stakeholders Management) at Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) (2010 to 2015). He was elected as the Deputy Governor of Enugu State for two consecutive terms (May 1999 to May 2007). Prior to being Deputy Governor, he represented Igbo-Etiti East Constituency in Enugu State House of Assembly (1997).

He worked for Catenation Incorporated, a financial consulting company in Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA, before returning to Nigeria in 1988. Between 1988 and 1995, he worked for International Merchant Bank, Diamond Bank and Commercial Trust Bank. He has extensive experience in Treasury and Corporate Banking. He is a member of Nigerian Institute of Management (Chartered) and Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations.

Dr. Itanyi holds a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Business Management from University of Nigeria, Nsukka (2013). He also holds a Higher Diploma (Animal Health from University of Nigeria, Nsukka (1982), B.Sc. (Agriculture) (1984), MBA from Ohio State University (1987).

Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer

Mr. Oscar N. Onyema, OON

Mr. Onyema is the Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian Exchange Group Plc. Prior to attaining this position, he was the CEO of The Nigerian Stock Exchange for 10 years. In his current role, he is the Chairman of the Group Executive Committee. He is also the Chairman of two affiliate companies: Central Securities Clearing System Plc (CSCS), the clearing, settlement and depository for the Nigerian capital market; and NG Clearing Limited, which is the premier Central Counter Party Clearing House (CCP) in Nigeria. He serves on several other boards domestically and internationally including Pension Commission of Nigeria (PENCOM), London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) Africa Advisory Group (LAAG), and the World Federation of Exchanges.

He was the President of African Securities Exchanges Association (ASEA) between 2014 and 2018. He has served as a Council member of Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS); Global Agenda Council member of World Economic Forum (WEF); and Board member of FMDQ OTC Plc (now FMDQ Securities Exchange Plc). Prior to relocating to Nigeria, he served as Senior Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer at American Stock Exchange (Amex). He also ran the NYSE Amex equity business after the merger of NYSE Euronext and Amex in 2008.

Mr. Onyema is the proud awardee of the Nigerian national honour, Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON); Fellow of the Institute of Directors (IOD); Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS); Associate of Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment (CISI) in the UK; and Holder of FINRA Series 7, 24, and 63 in the USA. Forbes listed him as one of the ten most powerful men in Africa in 2015.

Mr. Onyema holds a B.Sc (Computer Engineering) (1991) from Obafemi Awolowo University, MBA (Finance and Investments) (1998) from Baruch College, New York. He has also completed the Advanced Management Program (AMP) of Harvard Business School (2015).

Chief Executive Officer, NGX

TEMI POPOOLA

Mr. Temi Popoola, CFA is the Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Ltd. He is a successful C-suite leader whose unique blend of business acumen, financial expertise, global market growth and operational insight has earned him a reputation built on verifiable career achievements.

A Wall street trained investment banker, Temi joins the Nigerian Exchange Ltd. from Renaissance Capital (Rencap) where he was Managing Director and CEO for West Africa. Temi supported the continuous growth, profitability and success of the organization by providing strategic market insight and leadership. He led the transformation of Rencap in West Africa by diversifying the company’s revenue streams into fixed income, derivatives, structured products, debt financing and wealth management. In addition to influencing change across the organization, he was responsible for overseeing a global workforce, expanding foreign investor capital opportunities into West Africa and introducing enduring business processes and strategic initiatives.

Since his return to Nigeria in 2009, Temi has also worked with United Bank of Africa (UBA) as Head of Structured Products for Global markets and with CSL Stockbrokers Ltd. as Head of Sales and Trading. In both of these positions, he guided growth and advancement for investors across global markets, including South Africa, the UK, the Middle east and the US.

Temi began his career in London as a portfolio manager focused on African energy markets and worked for several years as a senior equity derivatives trader with Bank of America Securities in New York where he drove firm profitability by providing derivative solutions to US corporations and family offices.

Temi graduated with a First-Class degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Lagos and holds a Masters degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He is a Chartered financial analyst (CFA) and a Chartered stock-broker (CIS). He holds the Series 7 and 63 licensures.

Chief Executive Officer, NGX RegCo

Ms. Tinuade Awe

Ms. Tinuade Awe is the Chief Executive Officer of NGX Regulation Limited. Prior to attaining this position, she was the Executive Director for Regulation at The Nigerian Stock Exchange (The Exchange). In that role, she was responsible for providing effective leadership to ensure that The Exchange carried out its regulatory activities in a legally compliant fashion, with transparency and integrity, due regard for the protection of investors and in a manner that mitigated systemic risk. Ms. Awe was a member of the Executive Committee of The Exchange from August 2012 to August 2020. Additionally, she served as Secretary to the Council of The Exchange from January 2011 to October 2015, Head of the Legal Department from 2010 to 2013 and General Counsel from October 2015 to December 2017.

She is a Trustee of the Investors’ Protection Fund of The Exchange. She is a member of the Boards of the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria (FRC) and the Central Securities Clearing System Plc (CSCS) and chairs the Corporate Governance committees of both entities.

Ms. Awe has an LL. B Degree from the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, and LL.M Degrees from Harvard Law School and The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). She is admitted to both the Nigerian and New York Bars. Her interests include education, travelling, African art, and gender and development.

Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer

Mr. Oscar N. Onyema, OON

Mr. Onyema is the Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian Exchange Group Plc. Prior to attaining this position, he was the CEO of The Nigerian Stock Exchange for 10 years. In his current role, he is the Chairman of the Group Executive Committee. He is also the Chairman of two affiliate companies: Central Securities Clearing System Plc (CSCS), the clearing, settlement and depository for the Nigerian capital market; and NG Clearing Limited, which is the premier Central Counter Party Clearing House (CCP) in Nigeria. He serves on several other boards domestically and internationally including Pension Commission of Nigeria (PENCOM), London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) Africa Advisory Group (LAAG), and the World Federation of Exchanges.

He was the President of African Securities Exchanges Association (ASEA) between 2014 and 2018. He has served as a Council member of Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS); Global Agenda Council member of World Economic Forum (WEF); and Board member of FMDQ OTC Plc (now FMDQ Securities Exchange Plc). Prior to relocating to Nigeria, he served as Senior Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer at American Stock Exchange (Amex). He also ran the NYSE Amex equity business after the merger of NYSE Euronext and Amex in 2008.

Mr. Onyema is the proud awardee of the Nigerian national honour, Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON); Fellow of the Institute of Directors (IOD); Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS); Associate of Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment (CISI) in the UK; and Holder of FINRA Series 7, 24, and 63 in the USA. Forbes listed him as one of the ten most powerful men in Africa in 2015.

Mr. Onyema holds a B.Sc (Computer Engineering) (1991) from Obafemi Awolowo University, MBA (Finance and Investments) (1998) from Baruch College, New York. He has also completed the Advanced Management Program (AMP) of Harvard Business School (2015).

Group Chief Financial Officer

Cyril Eigbobo

Cyril Eigbobo has over 25 years of progressive experience in management, finance, financial reporting, internal control, and risk management. This robust experience was acquired from holding senior management positions in diverse industries including manufacturing, service and financial services.

As a Chief Financial Officer, he has mastered the ability to improve operations and impact business growth, finance management, cost containment, business advisory/internal controls and efficiency improvements.

He was project lead on the transformation of the Nigerian Stock Exchange from a not-for-profit organization to a more market-product focused, risk-managed and performance-driven organization through the process of demutualisation.

Cyril Eigbobo holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Microbiology from University of Lagos and a Master of Business Administration from Warwick Business School, United Kingdom. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria and is certified in International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales. He is an alumnus of the prestigious Advanced Management Programme of the Lagos Business School.

Group Chief Strategy Officer

Okon Onuntuei

Mr. Okon P. Onuntuei is a seasoned financial services and strategic planning practitioner with experience in corporate strategy, corporate finance & accounting, derivatives structuring and investment banking. Okon has worked in leading Wall Street firms such as Citigroup and Bear Stearns/JPMorgan as an investment banker (NYC) focused on Debt Capital Markets and Derivative Optimization.

In Nigeria, Okon has worked at Chapel Hill Denham (CHD), where he was part of the lead team that executed on the Central Bank of Nigeria’s AMCON mandate to stabilize the financial system via banking M&A consolidation and recapitalization. Prior to CHD, during his tenure at Afrinvest West Africa, Okon worked on the execution team for Nigeria’s largest M&A vis-à-vis the merger between Benue Cement Company and Dangote Cement Plc.

Okon currently serves at the Acting Group Chief Strategy Officer of NGX Plc, where he plays a pivotal role in cultivating, implementing and continuously reassessing progress on the Group’s growth strategy. Accordingly, he contributes meaningfully to the Group’s mission critical initiatives, ensuring adherence to best-in-class strategy formulation and execution across the business.

Okon is an alumnus of Florida A&M University (Tallahassee, Florida) and holds a First Class degree in Finance and Economics (MBA, BSc. Econ.). He is also a Kaplan-Norton Certified Balanced Score Card (BSC) Professional and holds various FINRA licenses.

Group Internal Auditor

Bernard Ahanaonu

Mr. Bernard Ahanaonu is the Group Internal Auditor of Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX Group) Plc. He is a professional Accountant with over 22 years of experience in Accounting, Auditing, Budgeting/Control as well as Finance and Risk Management. Over the course of his career, he has been involved in critical process improvement projects that have delivered exceptional results in the financial industry.

Prior to attaining his current position, Mr. Ahanaonu worked in the Internal Audit, Finance, Risk and Compliance departments of The Nigerian Stock Exchange. He also worked in different Groups in both Oceanic Bank International Plc and International Trust Bank Plc before joining The Exchange in 2009. He served as a Zonal Finance Officer at the National Board for Community Banks.
Mr. Ahanaonu holds a Higher National Diploma (Accountancy) from Federal Polytechnic Bida (1990) and an MBA (Finance & Investment) from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, an Associate Member of Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria and Chartered Institute of Securities and Investment London. He is also a member of Institute of Internal Auditors.

Group Chief Investment Officer

Paul Okunaiya

Paul Okunaiya has a wealth of over 20 years of experience spanning treasury, principal investment, corporate banking, corporate finance, private credit, and private equity. He has raised and invested capital in excess of US$800million.

Prior to joining the Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX Group), he was Managing Director of TobaCap Partners, a Private Equity Fund Management and Investment Advisory Company investing and advising companies to raise private equity, and debt capital. At TobaCap, Paul closed capital raise in several millions for entities across – banking, Agro processing, Fin Tech, Automobile, and logistics services within a 12-month period.

Paul was a Senior Investment Professional with Africinvest, a Pan African Private Equity Firm with assets under management of more than $1.5 Billion. He was responsible for investments across Sub Saharan Africa (SSA) particularly in Nigeria, Ghana and other anglophone countries. He was part of the founding team of AfricInvest’s Venture Capital (VC) / Innovation Fund and helped deliver the firm’s VC strategy in Nigeria.

He was Chief Investment Officer at Platform Capital, a principal and fund of funds investment firm where he led the firm’s Investments across Africa – (Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, Kenya, Mauritius, South Africa), – Mexico and the United States.

Paul has a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and an MBA in Finance from the Lagos State University, Nigeria. He is a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (FCCA) UK, Member of the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment (CISI) UK, and an Alumni of the prestigious Lagos Business School – Advanced Management Programme (AMP).

Paul is a judge at Jack Ma Foundation’s flagship philanthropic program in Africa, the Africa’s Business Heroes (ABH). He also mentors for Google for StartUp. He has mentored several companies on track to Unicorns. Paul sits on the board of Psaltry International, Crystal Finance, Kayvee MFB, and Sunmoyo Renewables.