Business
11 powerful women heading banks in Nigeria

Historically, the Nigerian banking sector is male-dominated, just like several other professional spheres, with women only left to scramble for lower management positions.
This gender bias constituted a worrying glass ceiling that has, over the years, stifled the growth of the female gender in the banking sector.
However, recent trends have shown that women have broken through the barrier to claim their rightful position among their male counterparts.
On Tuesday, March 19, 2024, Zenith Bank announced Dr Adaora Umeoji as its new and first female Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
Umeoji’s appointment was greeted with pomp and pageantry by many Nigerians, particularly staff and stakeholders of the bank.
Amid this development, Pulse presents to you a list of women who are heading banks in Nigeria.
1. Zenith Bank – Adaora Umeoji
Subject to the approval by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Umeoji will step into the role of the Group Managing Director/Chief Executive of Zenith on June 1, 2024. The accomplished banker with sectoral experience spanning three decades will take over from Dr. Ebenezer Onyeagwu, whose five-year term expires on May 31, 2024.
Umeoji reached the zenith of her career, having climbed the corporate ladder with great dedication and zeal.
She has been with Zenith Bank for 26 years and has held the position of Deputy Managing Director of the bank since October 28, 2016, until her latest appointments.
2. GTBank – Olusanya Miriam
In comes another banking Amazon, whose panache and tenacity shunted her to the top of her career. Miriam is the Managing Director of Guaranty Trust Bank (Nigeria) Limited, a subsidiary of Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc (GTCO), a position she assumed in July 2021.
She rose from an Executive Trainee at the bank in 1998 to the upper echelon, with experience that cuts across Asset and Liability Management, Financial Markets, Corporate Finance, Investment Banking, Investor Relations and Transaction Services.
3. Fidelity Bank – Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe

After playing an integral role in the bank’s transformation over six years, Onyeali-Ikpe assumed the office as Managing Director/CEO at Fidelity Bank on January 1, 2021.
Before her appointment, she was the Executive Director of Lagos and South West, overseeing the bank’s business in the six states that make up the South West region.
Onyeali-Ikpe is a consummate professional with over 30 years of experience, cutting her teeth at various banks, including Standard Chartered Bank, Zenith Bank and Citizens International Bank, where she held several management positions.
4. Union Bank – Yetunde Oni
On January 10, 2024, the CBN announced the appointment of Oni as the new Managing Director/Chief Operating Officer of Union Bank plc, following an earlier dissolution of the bank’s Board and Management.
The University of Ibadan graduate of Economics comes to the job with over three decades of experience across various banks in Nigeria and abroad.
Oni holds the bragging right of being the first female CEO of the Standard Chartered Bank in Sierra Leone, a position she took in January 2021 until the CBN appointment.
5. Access Holdings – Bolaji Agbede
Agbede stepped in as the Acting Group Chief Executive Officer of Access Holdings Plc following the demise of Herbert Wigwe in a tragic helicopter crash in the United States.
She is a versatile professional with over 27 years of cognate experience in Human Resources management, customer relationship management and banking operations.
Agbede’s banking journey started at GTBank in 1992, where she joined as an Executive Trainee.
However, she rose through the ranks, serving in various capacities, including Relationship Manager and Vault Custodian, before eventually joining Access Bank in 2003 as an Assistant General Manager.
6. FCMB – Yemisi Edun
Edun was appointed Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the First City Monument Bank (FCMB) in July 2021, becoming the first woman ever to hold the position.
She joined FCMB in 2000 as Divisional Head of Internal Audit and Control before assuming the role of Chief Financial Officer of the Bank.
Before her banking sojourn, Edun’s career took off at the Akintola Williams Deloitte (member firm of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu) in 1987, where she worked on corporate finance activities and audit of banks and other financial institutions.
7. Unity Bank – Tomi Somefun
Somefun is one of the trailblazers and pacesetters for women in the banking sector, climbing to become the Managing Director/CEO of Unity Bank Plc in 2015.
Before her appointment, she was the Executive Director overseeing the Lagos and South-West Business Directorates, the Financial Institution Division and the bank’s Treasury Department.
Somefun boasts 35 years of professional career, over 26 years of which were in the banking sector.
8. Citibank – Ireti Samuel-Ogbu

After 26 years of operating in Africa’s largest economy, Citigroup Inc. appointed Samuel-Ogbu as its first female Country Officer for Nigeria in August 2020.
She is currently the CEO & Country Officer for Nigeria and Ghana at Citibank/Citigroup Inc.
Samuel-Ogbu was the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) Head of Payments and Receivables, Treasury and Trade Solutions (TTS) under Citi’s Institutional Clients Group (ICG) based in London, UK, before she was appointed MD/CEO.
9. Suntrust Bank – Halima Buba

A seasoned banker with over 22 years of cognate experience obtained from working in various banks, Buba is currently the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of SunTrust Bank Nigeria Limited.
Before assuming the position in January 2021, Halima was a co-founder and former Executive Director of Taj Consortium, an organisation of young, dynamic technocrats and financial advisory experts.
10. Lotus Bank – Kafilat Araoye
Kafilat is reputed as a banker with long and diverse work experience in various leadership positions in the industry, with emphasis on International and Domestic Operations, Payments, General Management, Business Development, Risk Management, Human Resources and Strategy.
Having left as the General Manager of GTBank in 2015, after a spell that started in 1990, Kafilat was appointed the MD Designate for LOTUS Bank in 2018.
Since then, she has been steering the bank’s affairs, deploying her over 25 years of expertise to stimulate growth and maintain stability.
11. FSDH Merchant Bank – Bukola Smith
Smith became the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of FSDH Merchant Bank in April 2021, bringing with her over 25 years of progressive experience in the banking industry with a track record of strategic execution and leadership.
Business
Five tips on how to shop for affordable clothes online

Shopping online is easy, enjoyable, but most times, more expensive than traditional shopping in person. This is probably why you shun tons of online clothing vendors because you cannot be bothered with the expensive prices placed on items online. And that’s a valid point.
In addition to being averagely more expensive, shopping for clothes online can go wrong for a few other reasons, one of which is the disparity between what is displayed by the vendor online, and the item received by clients.
Popularly described as; “What I Ordered vs What I Received”, this situation is not only a time-waster but also, a money-waster.
Without further ado, here are ways to shop for clothes online at a bargain.
- Use A Site Selling Cheap Clothes
By searching online with the right keywords; like cheap clothes stores, alone, you’ll be sure to get tons of results on stores or social media pages selling cheap clothing items around your location.
Upon getting the results you can then go ahead to choose the vendors which catch your eye and have the items you’re looking out for.
- Buy In Bulk
Just like physical shopping, shopping in bulk online will reduce the overall cost you’ll be spending. This applies most especially to the logistics around delivery since you’ll most likely be paying the same amount it would have cost for the delivery of one item for all items purchased.
However, take note that you do not buy items that are heavier or occupy too much space as this could cost more. You may also be lucky to get a discounted delivery price or free delivery in some cases. Look out for these from the vendor’s description or ask them in person.
- Take Advantage Of Holiday Deals
Yes, take advantage of deals making rounds during the holiday season. Usually, vendors offer a certain percentage off the original prices of items during the holidays or special days (their birthday, Val’s Day etc).
Another type of discount to take advantage of are offers such as coupon codes, promo codes etc. These can easily be found on hashtags associated with the store or page.
- Compare Prices
There’s really no harm in comparing the price range of various vendors on items especially when shopping high. Usually, individual vendors place varying prices on the same item. And by comparing prices and going for the cheapest you can find, you’ll be saving yourself some cool bucks.
- Sign Up For Updates
To stay up-to-date on the latest sales, discounts, or special offers by cloth vendors, sign up to their preferred notification medium be it, email, or notification bars on social media platforms like Instagram.
By doing this, you get access to early on notifications about whatever deals they might be running and make the most of it.
Don’t worry, you don’t have to bother with clicking on that notification box just yet and be bombarded with every notification they have going on, you can target seasons like the holidays and Black Friday Sales when most vendors usually give discounts. Better still follow them on social media and stay updated on whatever discount sale they have going on.
Although these steps have worked for us in landing the cheapest deals on clothing items online, there is no guarantee that you’ll get cheaper deals yourself.
However, you can try any of these out to your own discretion and tell us what results you get in the comment box. Are there other methods you applied? Do let us know as well.
Business
Tunji-Ojo directs NIS to provide new passport printers to Nigerian consulates in US

Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, minister of interior, has directed the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) to provide new passport printers to two consulates in the United States.
A statement on Thursday by Babatunde Alao, the minister’s special adviser on media and publicity, said the order was an acknowledgement of previous petitions requesting passport printers in the Atlanta and New York consulates, respectively.
“This short-term solution aims to resolve the current challenge promptly,” the statement quoted the minister as saying.
Tunji-Ojo noted plans are in progress to implement a streamlined process that would enable Nigerians to apply for their passports with more ease.
“Part of this plan includes the activation of the Passport Personalisation Centre in Abuja, which is scheduled to start in the next few weeks,” the statement added.
“Also opening up more countries for the already-deployed contactless solution.”
The minister said there was already an end-to-end automation of the passport application process and the introduction of the contactless application process which was launched in Canada.
He assured Nigerians that President Bola Tinubu’s administration remains committed to ensuring that citizens experience renewed hope, laced with innovation and convenience, while still enhancing national security.
Business
Arik Air shareholders tackle AMCON over N455bn debt claim

The shareholders of Arik Air, an indigenous airline currently under the control of the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria, have debunked claims that the debt accruable to the airline’s owner, Johnson Arumem-Ikhide, has risen to N455bn.
The shareholders, through a statement signed by their representative, Godwin Aideloje, described as fallacy the debt record of AMCON against Arik founder.
Earlier, AMCON, through its Head of Corporate Communication, Jude Nwauzor, said the total debt of Arumem-Ikhide was N455.17bn as of December 31, 2024, in all his three investments.
AMCON also said that its intervention in the troubled airline in February 2017 saved the carrier from liquidation, insisting that it would ensure the recovery of the total debts owed to the corporation by various business organisations in Arik Air.
Giving the breakdown of the total debt, Nwauzor alleged that Arik as of December 2024 owed AMCON N227.6bn; Rockson Engineering, N163.5bn, while Ojemai Farms owed the corporation another N14bn, totaling N455bn.
Reacting to this, Arik shareholders refused to comment on the matter saying it was currently before the court.
“This is a matter before the court. Unlike AMCON who have no respect for the courts, we will not resort to subjudical remarks. We will not join the desperate attempt by AMCON to overreach the courts and desecrate our justice system.
“The fictitious claim of N455bn as alleged Arik Air indebtedness to AMCON by Mr Jude Nwauzor is a fallacy. It seems clear that AMCON is invested in dubious storytelling and falsehoods.
This allegation is defeated by AMCON’s claim in its Suit No. FHC/L/CS/175/17 with which it took Arik Air into receivership and gained full control and management of operations, assets, and liabilities of the airline,” they stated in the statement.
The shareholders recalled a Federal High Court judgement of March 31, 2023, ordering AMCON and its Receiver Manager to file a statement of affairs and audited financial reports with the Corporate Affairs Commission to balance and compare the books, Aideloje said AMCON refused to appear before a Financial Reporting Council to defend it positions.
The shareholders said rather than appear before the reporting council, AMCON uploaded the audited account of the business(es) on the Arik Air website, a document the shareholders have also dismissed.
During the press briefing, the Head of Corporate Communication at AMCON said considering the state of Arik Air’s insolvency at the takeover time, the airline would have been sold in its entity if not for the intervention of the Federal Government which directed that the airline should be managed.
But in the shareholders’ reaction, Aideloje stressed that “It is instructive to note the new version of the reason why AMCON took over Arik is a government mandate. What a preposterous statement from a Federal Government employee! This is a gross misrepresentation of the Federal Government as being in the business of arbitrary takeover of private businesses with a stroke of pen. This is indeed a disservice to the government and people of Nigeria by AMCON.
“We wish to state again that before the forceful takeover, Arik Air was recognized for its operational excellence and significant contributions to Nigeria’s aviation sector. Contrary to AMCON’s claims, the airline was meeting its financial obligations, as evidenced by remarks and recognition by global institutions; recently Afreximbank acknowledged legacy Arik as a model in Africa at a just-concluded International Aircraft Leasing and Finance Conference in Ireland Dublin a few days ago.”