United Bank for Africa Plc has announced the appointment of Emmanuel Nwabuikwu Nnorom as its new Group Chairman, effective August 21, 2026. Nnorom succeeds Tony Elumelu, who has retired from the board after completing the maximum 12-year tenure permitted for non-executive directors under Central Bank of Nigeria corporate governance guidelines.
The appointment was approved by UBA’s board of directors at a meeting held on July 6, 2026, following the formal acceptance of Elumelu’s retirement. It marks the beginning of a new governance chapter for a bank that currently serves 45 million customers across 20 African countries, with additional operations in the United Kingdom, the United States, France, and the United Arab Emirates.
Nnorom is a chartered accountant with more than four decades of experience spanning banking, finance, auditing, operations, and corporate governance. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, an Honorary Member of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, and an alumnus of Templeton College, Oxford, where he completed executive leadership and management programmes.
His relationship with UBA is a long one. Before transitioning to board-level oversight, Nnorom spent more than eight years in executive management at the bank, serving in several senior roles including Group Chief Operating Officer, Executive Director of Finance, Executive Director of Risk, Executive Director of the Group Executive Office, and Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of UBA Africa. He rejoined the board as a Non-Executive Director in 2024.
Prior to those tenures at UBA, he held senior management positions at Standard Trust Bank, Diamond Bank, NUB International Bank, and Liberty Merchant Bank. He later served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Transnational Corporation of Nigeria Plc from September 2014 to May 2017, where he oversaw the conglomerate’s operations in power, hospitality, agriculture, and energy, before moving to Heirs Holdings as Group Chief Executive Officer, a role in which he coordinated investments across financial services, energy, healthcare, real estate, and technology.
Outgoing chairman Tony Elumelu reflected warmly on his tenure as he handed over to his successor. “Serving United Bank for Africa has been one of the great privileges of my career,” he said. “UBA has established a unique competitive position across Africa and globally, and I leave the board with great confidence in UBA’s future.”
Commenting on his appointment, Nnorom said he was conscious of the responsibility ahead. “I am honoured by the trust the board has placed in me and deeply conscious of the legacy I inherit. I look forward to working with my colleagues on the board, management, and our staff across all our markets to sustain UBA’s momentum and continue delivering long-term value to our shareholders, customers, and stakeholders.”
As Group Chairman, Nnorom will provide board-level oversight on strategy, governance, and long-term growth, working alongside Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Oliver Alawuba and the wider management team to advance the bank’s objectives across its African and international markets.
Beyond his professional accomplishments, Nnorom is an elder and trustee of the Presbyterian Church of Nigeria, and is married to Elder Florence Ihuoma Nnorom. He hails from Ovim in Isuikwuato Local Government Area of Abia State.
Samuel Agboola is a member of the editorial team of TheScript Newspapers
