(Emmanuel Nwabuikwu. Photo by Nation News)
United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc has named veteran banker and corporate executive Emmanuel Nwabuikwu “Emma” Nnorom as its incoming Group Chairman, following the retirement of Tony Elumelu.
The appointment, approved by the bank’s Board of Directors, takes effect on August 21, 2026. Nnorom succeeds Elumelu, who is stepping down after completing the maximum tenure permitted for non-executive directors under the Central Bank of Nigeria’s corporate governance framework.
With more than four decades of experience spanning banking, finance, and corporate leadership, Nnorom is expected to bring extensive boardroom and executive expertise to one of Africa’s largest financial institutions.
Here are key facts about the incoming chairman:
He brings over 40 years of corporate experience, having built a distinguished career across banking, finance, auditing, operations, and corporate governance, occupying several top executive and board positions along the way.
Though he only joined the UBA Board as a Non-Executive Director in 2024, his relationship with the bank actually dates back many years, having previously held several strategic executive roles within the institution.
During his executive career at UBA, he served as Group Chief Operating Officer, Executive Director for Finance, Executive Director for Risk Management, Executive Director in the Group Executive Office, and Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of UBA Africa.
In this last role, he played a significant part in coordinating the bank’s operations across several African countries, supporting its expansion as a leading pan-African institution.
Since June 2017, he has served as Group Chief Executive Officer of Heirs Holdings, overseeing investments across sectors including financial services, energy, healthcare, hospitality, technology, and real estate.
Prior to that, between 2014 and 2017, he served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Transnational Corporation Plc (Transcorp), directing the company’s investments in power generation, hospitality, agriculture, and energy.
Before his time at Transcorp, he served as President and Chief Operating Officer of Heirs Holdings, helping shape the company’s investment strategy and business growth.
His professional journey also includes senior leadership positions at Standard Trust Bank, Diamond Bank, NUB International Bank, and Liberty Merchant Bank, where his responsibilities spanned finance, operations, risk management, planning, information technology, and regulatory compliance.
He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and an Honorary Member of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), reflecting his standing in both professions.
He also completed executive leadership and management programmes at Templeton College, Oxford, further strengthening his corporate leadership expertise.
Born on April 7, 1958, Nnorom has built a reputation as one of Nigeria’s most accomplished business executives.
Beyond his executive roles, he has served on the boards of several leading companies, contributing to strategic decision-making, governance, and business transformation.
Throughout his career, he has been widely recognised for promoting sound corporate governance practices, effective risk management, and institutional sustainability across the organisations he has served, with his leadership playing an instrumental role in the growth and development of major Nigerian companies across banking, investment, hospitality, energy, and other key sectors of the economy.
Nnorom will officially assume office as Group Chairman of United Bank for Africa Plc on August 21, 2026, where he will provide strategic oversight for the bank’s board and support its continued growth across Africa and international markets.