United Bank for Africa Plc (UBA) has formally welcomed Emmanuel N. Nnorom as its new Group Chairman, following the retirement of Tony Elumelu after 12 years in the position.
Nnorom officially assumed the chairmanship on August 21, 2026, after the completion of Elumelu’s maximum tenure as a non-executive director of a Nigerian bank under Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) corporate governance guidelines. UBA’s board had earlier elected Nnorom as Elumelu’s successor.
The bank welcomed its new chairman in a message shared across its social media platforms, describing him as a seasoned business leader and chartered accountant with more than four decades of experience.
“We welcome Mr. Emmanuel N. Nnorom as the new Group Chairman of United Bank for Africa Plc. A seasoned business leader and chartered accountant with over four decades of experience.”
Nnorom brings extensive experience within the UBA Group, having spent more than eight years in senior executive positions before joining the bank’s board as a Non-Executive Director in 2024.
During his previous career with UBA, he served as Group Chief Operating Officer, Group Chief Financial Officer, Executive Director for Finance, Executive Director for Risk, Executive Director in the Group Executive Office, and Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of UBA Africa.
As CEO of UBA Africa, Nnorom oversaw the bank’s operations across several African countries and contributed to its expansion across the continent.
UBA said his extensive experience and knowledge of the institution would be valuable as the banking group continues its expansion across Africa and other international markets.
The bank said:
“With his wealth of experience and understanding of UBA’s journey, Mr. Nnorom takes the helm at an important moment in the Group’s continued growth across Africa and beyond.”
Before returning to UBA’s board, Nnorom held senior positions across Nigeria’s financial and corporate sectors.
He served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Transnational Corporation Plc (Transcorp) from September 2014 to May 2017. He later became Group Chief Executive Officer of Heirs Holdings, a position he has held since June 2017.
His banking career also includes senior management positions at Standard Trust Bank, Diamond Bank, NUB International Bank and Liberty Merchant Bank.
Nnorom 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).
He also attended Templeton College, Oxford, where he completed executive leadership and management programmes.
His appointment marks the end of Elumelu’s 12-year tenure as chairman of UBA. The bank previously said Elumelu’s retirement followed the completion of the 12-year tenure limit prescribed for non-executive directors of banks by the CBN.
Under Elumelu’s leadership, UBA expanded its operations into 20 African countries and four international financial centres, while serving more than 50 million customers globally.
Nnorom now takes charge of the board as UBA continues its pan-African expansion and seeks to strengthen its position across Nigeria, Africa and its international markets.
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