CBN approves Thomas A. Etuh as chairman of Unity Bank

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has approved the appointment of Thomas A. Etuh and Aminu Babangida as chairman and vice chairman of the board of directors of Unity Bank plc.

This was contained in a letter to the bank dated January 23, 2015, signed by the director of banking supervision.

Their appointments follow the resignation of the former chairman, Lamis Shehu Dikko, who resigned from the board in December 2014, to pursue his political aspirations.

Etuh, who was appointed pioneer vice chairman of the board, Unity Bank on April 22, 2014, has varied experience, gained from over two decades of contribution to the public and private sectors of the economy, especially the agric sector of the economy. An astute businessman and experienced entrepreneur, Etuh has served as a director in several companies in Nigeria and has chaired a number of board committees in Unity Bank including Finance and General Purpose Committee, Board Governance and Nominations Committee, among others.

Etuh studied management, banking and public administration at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, and University of Jos, respectively. Etuh holds a Post Graduate Diploma in management from the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University and is currently pursuing an MBA from the Business School, Netherlands. He has attended several local and international trainings and is an alumnus of the prestigious London Business School, University of Navarra, Barcelona, Spain, and the Lagos Business School.

He is a member of various professional bodies such as the Institute of Directors (IOD) and the Bank Directors Association of Nigeria (BDAN).

The new vice chairman Aminu Babangida is an entrepreneur, a co-founder/CEO of Phoenix Energy, Abuja and team member of the El-Amin International School, Minna. He has also worked on the trading floor of Trafigura BV, London, UK.

Babangida was appointed to the board of Unity Bank in 2011, where he has held chairmanship and membership positions in a number of board committees including Credit Committee, Audit Committee, Information Technology and Strategy Committee, etc. He attended Regents Business School, London, and Westminster Business School London, where he obtained a BA in International Business and MA in International Business Management, respectively.

He is knowledgeable in the field of oil exploration. He is a member of the Institute of Directors (IOD) and the Bank Directors Association of Nigeria (BDAN), and has attended various local and international courses.