NASD Board appoints Chinwendu Ekeh as acting Managing Director as Longe’s retires

The Board of Directors of NASD Plc has announced the retirement of Eguarekhide Longe as its Managing Director following a meritorious career spanning over three decades in Nigeria’s financial services industry and a successful tenure leading NASD Plc.

Following Longe’s retirement, the Board has approved the appointment of Chinwendu Nwabueze Ekeh as the acting Managing Director of NASD Plc, effective immediately, pending the appointment of a substantive Managing Director and receipt of all required regulatory approvals.

In a statement from NASD, Longe retires after years of exemplary service characterised by visionary leadership, strategic innovation, and significant contributions to the development of Nigeria’s capital market.

During his stewardship of NASD Plc, Longe, a consummate professional with over 30 years of experience in financial services and business analytics, played a pivotal role in strengthening the Over-the-Counter (OTC) securities market, enhancing market transparency, broadening investor participation, and advancing the Company’s strategic objectives.

Longe’s professional journey began at Fidelity Finance Company as an Investment Analyst, followed by roles at Hamilton Hammer & Co. Limited and Securities Transactions & Trust Co. Limited (now Afrinvest West Africa), where he rose to become Vice President, Sales and Business Development. He subsequently served as Capital Market Analyst at Shell Trustees Nigeria Limited, Head of Financial Advisory at First Funds Limited, Managing Director/CEO of Kakawa Asset Management Limited, Head of Asset Management at Diamond Capital Limited, and Managing Director of AIICO Pension Managers Limited. before assuming leadership of NASD Plc.

The Board expresses its profound appreciation to him for his exceptional service, dedication, and invaluable contributions to NASD Plc and the Nigerian capital market. His legacy of professionalism, innovation, and commitment to market development has positioned NASD for continued growth and relevance in the evolving financial ecosystem.

Ekeh is a highly accomplished capital market professional with over 15 years of experience in exchange operations, financial market infrastructure, and technology-driven product development. She currently serves as Head of Market Operations & IT at NASD Plc, where she oversees trading operations, market surveillance, infrastructure management, and the development of innovative market products.

Ekeh has led several transformative initiatives, including the implementation of the NASD Electronic Trading System (N-ETS), the development of the VentureRamp crowdfunding platform, and the design and deployment of NASDMobile, a direct-access digital trading application that enables real-time participation in OTC securities trading. These initiatives have enhanced market accessibility, improved operational efficiency, and strengthened NASD’s technology infrastructure.

Prior to joining NASD, Ekeh held various roles at Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS) Plc, where she gained extensive experience in operations, product development, software implementation, clearing and settlement processes, and investor account management.

Ekeh holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Business School Netherlands and is a Chartered Stockbroker (ACS). She is also an ISO 27001 Certified Lead Implementer with expertise in information security, governance, and risk management.

Commenting on the transition, Olayimikah Bolo, chairman of the Board, NASD Plc stated: “The Board sincerely thanks Eguarekhide Longe for his outstanding leadership and immense contributions to NASD Plc. His tenure was marked by significant achievements that have strengthened the institution and advanced the OTC market in Nigeria. We are equally pleased to appoint Chinwendu Nwabueze Ekeh as Acting Managing Director. Her deep market knowledge, proven leadership, and strong track record in innovation and operational excellence position her well to lead NASD through this interim phase.

The Board remains committed to ensuring a seamless leadership transition and sustaining NASD’s strategic focus on market development, innovation, stakeholder value creation, and operational excellence”.