Mrs. Olufunke Iyabo Osibodu
Chairperson, Advisory Board
University of Lagos Business School
Executive Summary
Iconic banking pioneer, former Group CEO of Union Bank, Ecobank, and MBC International Bank; ranked by Financial Times among the World’s Top 50 Businesswomen.
Biographical Profile
Career background and academic scholarship
Mrs. Olufunke Iyabo Osibodu has more than three decades of distinguished executive leadership experience, including being the first female CEO of Nigerian Airports and subsequently the first female CEO of a privatized electricity distribution company in Nigeria.
She commenced her banking career at Chase Merchant Bank and Citibank Nigeria, and subsequently made history as the first female CEO across three major commercial banks: MBC International Bank, Ecobank Nigeria Plc (later serving as director of the holding company Ecobank Transnational), and Union Bank of Nigeria Plc where she was appointed Group CEO by the Central Bank of Nigeria.
In 2011, the Financial Times recognized Mrs. Osibodu as one of the World’s 50 Most Powerful Businesswomen (ranked #47), being the only African woman on the global ranking. She was appointed by the President of Nigeria to the Vision 2010 Committee and has served on the Advisory Board of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG).
Distinguished Appointments & Leadership
Key milestones, directorships, and international responsibilities
- Group CEO, Union Bank of Nigeria Plc
- Managing Director & CEO, Ecobank Nigeria Plc and Director, Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI)
- Managing Director & CEO, MBC International Bank
- Pioneer Chairperson & CEO, Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC)
- Appointed Member, Federal Government Vision 2010 Committee
- Advisory Board Member & former Vice-Chairman, Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG)
- Influenced and integrated cashless payment systems, ATM interoperability, and NIBSS foundation
Professional Fellowships & Affiliations
Chartered institutes, regulatory councils, and academic bodies
Honors, Grants & Recognitions
International awards, research grants, and citations
Financial Times World’s Top 50 Most Powerful Businesswomen (Ranked #47)
Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria
African Female Business Leader of the Decade
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