Emmanuel Nnorom to replace Tony Elumelu as UBA Group Chairman.

During the meeting, the Board accepted Tony Elumelu’s retirement and elected Emmanuel Nnorom, a Non-Executive Director of the Bank, as his successor.

The new UBA Group Chairman will take over from August 21, 2026, when Elumelu retires upon the completion of the 12-year tenure limit prescribed for Non-Executive Directors of Banks by the Central Bank of Nigeria.

The Board saluted the profound appreciation to Elumelu for his visionary leadership and exceptional contribution to the strategic vision and institutional strength of the UBA Group.

The Board said Elumelu’s tenure has been a defining chapter in the Group's history. It said under his stewardship, UBA was transformed into a Pan-African institution, operating in 20 African countries and 4 global financial centres and serving over 50 million customers.

Commenting on his retirement, Tony Elumelu said serving UBA has been “one of the great privileges of my career”.

“UBA has established a unique competitive position, across Africa and globally, and I leave the Board with great confidence in UBA’s future,” he stated. 

Elumelu described the incoming UBA Group Chairman, Emmanuel Nnorom, as a “leader of integrity, experience and sound judgement”.

Elumelu said he is “confident that the Bank will continue to thrive under his leadership”

On his part, the incoming Group Chairman, Emmanuel Nnorom, said he feels “honoured by the trust the Board has placed in me and deeply conscious of the legacy I inherit”.

Nnorom said he looks 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”.

The new UBA Group Chairman is a chartered accountant with over forty years’ experience in banking, finance and audit. He brings to the role extensive leadership experience and deep institutional knowledge of UBA.

United Bank for Africa Plc is Africa's Global Bank. Operating across twenty African countries and in the United Kingdom, the United States of America, France and the United Arab Emirates, UBA provides retail, commercial and institutional banking services, leading financial inclusion and implementing cutting edge technology. 

UBA is one of the largest employers in the financial sector on the African continent, with 25,000 employees group wide and serving over 50 million customers globally.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3840 of Tuesday July 07, 2026