Zenith Bank Plc has appointed Engr. Mustafa Bello as the Chairman of its Board of Directors, following approval from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and ratification by shareholders at the bank’s Annual General Meeting held today. The appointment takes immediate effect.
Engr. Bello, who has been a member of Zenith Bank’s Board since December 29, 2017, previously served on several key committees, including the Board Audit and Compliance Committee, the Governance, Nomination and Remuneration Committee, and as Chairman of the Board Risk Management Committee.
His elevation to Chairman is seen as a strategic move to ensure continuity, stability, and effective oversight while upholding the high standards of corporate governance and regulatory compliance for which Zenith Bank is renowned.
A distinguished engineer, statesman, and corporate leader, Engr. Bello brings over four decades of experience in both the public and private sectors.
He served as Minister of Commerce under President Olusegun Obasanjo from 1999 to 2002, where he led the development of Nigeria’s WTO-compliant trade policies and oversaw the Corporate Affairs Commission’s landmark online registration project.
From 2003 to 2014, he was Executive Secretary and CEO of the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC), attracting foreign direct investment and building international partnerships for Nigeria.
Educated at Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, Engr. Bello graduated in 1978 with a B.Engr. in Civil Engineering (Second Class Upper Division), earning the Shell Prize for best project and thesis.
He began his career with the Nigerian Army’s Directorate of Quartering and Engineering Service and later served as Senior Civil Engineer at the Niger State Housing Corporation.
Currently, he chairs Invest-in-Northern Nigeria Limited, an initiative aimed at driving the economic and social transformation of the region, and has served on the boards of Eskom Holdings Limited in South Africa and FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria Plc.
He is a Fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, the Academy of Natural Sciences & Engineering in Nigeria (ANSEN), and a registered member of the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN).
Zenith Bank, one of Africa’s leading financial institutions, operates in Nigeria, the United Kingdom, the UAE, Ghana, Sierra Leone, The Gambia, and Côte d’Ivoire, and maintains a strong capital base.
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