NAHCO vice chairman, director retire as top legal, finance experts join

Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc (NAHCO PLC) has announced a restructuring of its Board of Directors following the retirement of two long-serving board members and the appointment of prominent legal and financial experts to steer the company’s next phase of growth.

The aviation handling giant confirmed the retirement of Akinwumi Godson Fanimokun, who served as the Independent Non-Executive Director and Vice Chairman, alongside Mr. Taofeeq Oluwatoyin Salman, a Non-Executive Director.

Both directors stepped down after completing an eight-year tenure on the board. Fanimokun’s retirement took effect on June 1, 2026, while Salman’s retirement became effective on June 30, 2026.

The company noted that despite his retirement, Mr. Fanimokun continues to hold a substantial equity stake in the company.

To fill the leadership vacuum left by the departures, NAHCO’s board approved the immediate elevation of Tajudeen Omoshola Shobayo. An existing Non-Executive Director on the board, Shobayo took over the mantle as the company’s new Vice Chairman effective July 1, 2026.

In a move to fortify its corporate governance and project execution capabilities, NAHCO has appointed legal powerhouse Wolemi Esan, and seasoned finance executive Julius Omodayo-Owotuga as Non-Executive Directors, effective July 1, 2026.

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Wolemi Esan is a highly regarded Senior Advocate of Nigeria with more than two decades of experience handling complex corporate disputes, international arbitrations, and regulatory compliance.

Notably, Esan brings direct, high-value experience to NAHCO’s core business, having previously advised on major logistics, transportation, and airport concession transactions. He holds advanced degrees from University College London and Durham University.

Julius Omodayo-Owotuga joins the board with a formidable track record in corporate turnarounds and infrastructure finance across Nigeria’s energy and banking sectors.

He previously served as the Deputy CEO of Geregu Power Plc—where he led its transition into a listed market-driven enterprise—and was the Group Executive Director of Forte Oil (now Ardova Plc). A CFA Charterholder holding a doctorate from Oxford Saïd Business School, Omodayo-Owotuga currently serves as an Executive Director at First Bank of Nigeria Limited.

The official statement was signed and released by Bello A. Abdullahi of Dikko & Mahmoud Solicitors, acting in their capacity as Company Secretary.

Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha

Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha is the Aviation Correspondent at BusinessDay Media Limited, publishers of BusinessDay Newspapers. She is also the Deputy Editor, BusinessDay Weekender Magazine, the Saturday Weekend edition of BusinessDay. She holds a BSC in Mass Communication from the prestigious University of Nigeria, Nsukka and a Masters degree in Marketing at the University of Lagos. As the lead writer on the aviation desk, Ifeoma is responsible and in charge of the three weekly aviation and travel pages in BusinessDay and BDSunday. She also overseas and edits all pages of BusinessDay Saturday Weekender. She has written various investigative, features and news stories in aviation and business related issues and has been severally nominated for award in the category of Aviation Writer of the Year by the Nigeria Media Nite-Out awards; one of the Nigeria’s most prestigious media awards ceremonies. Ifeoma is a one-time winner of the prestigious Nigeria Media Merit Award under the 'Aviation Writer of the Year' Category. She is the 2025 Eloy Award winner under the Print Media Journalist category. She has undergone several journalism trainings by various prestigious organisations. Ifeoma is also a fellow of the Female Reporters Leadership Fellowship of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism.