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DR. EBENEZER ONYEAGWU

Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer

Dr. Ebenezer Onyeagwu was appointed Group Managing Director/CEO of Zenith Bank Plc on the 1st of June 2019. He is a seasoned banker and an astute financial strategist with over three decades of banking experience. He is an alumnus of Auchi Polytechnic, Delta State University Nigeria, the University of Oxford, England and Salford Business School, University of Salford, Manchester, United Kingdom. At the University of Oxford, he obtained a Postgraduate Diploma in Financial Strategy and a certificate in Macroeconomics while he received a Masters Degree in Financial Services Management from the University of Salford. He also holds an MBA from Delta State University, Abraka. He undertook extensive executive-level education in Wharton Business School of the University of Pennsylvania, Columbia Business School of Columbia University, and the Harvard Business School of Harvard University in the United States.

On March 25, 2023, he was conferred with a Doctorate Degree in Business Administration by the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria’s first indigenous University, in recognition of his immense achievements as Group Managing Director/CEO of Zenith Bank as well as his contributions to the growth of the financial services sector in Nigeria and across the African continent. The award was given during the 50th convocation ceremony of the University.

Before joining Zenith Bank Plc, he worked at Citizens International Bank Limited between 1991 and 2002. He joined Zenith Bank Plc in 2002 as a Senior Manager in the Internal Control and Audit Group of the bank. His professionalism, competence, integrity and commitment to the objectives of the bank saw him rise swiftly between 2003 and 2005, first, as Assistant General Manager, then Deputy General Manager, and eventually, General Manager of the bank. In these capacities, he handled strategies for new business and branch development, management of risk assets portfolios, treasury functions, strategic top-level corporate, multinationals and public institutional relationships, among others. He was appointed Executive Director of the bank in 2013, responsible for Lagos and South-South Zones as well as strategic groups/business units of the bank, including Financial Control & Strategic Planning, Treasury & Correspondent Groups, Human Resources Group, Oil & Gas Group, and Credit Risk Management Group.

Dr. Onyeagwu was named Deputy Managing Director of the bank in 2016. In that capacity, he deputised for the Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer with direct oversight of the bank’s Financial Control and Strategic Planning, Risk Management, Retail Banking, Institutional and Corporate Banking Portfolios, Information Technology Group, Credit Administration, and Treasury & Foreign Exchange Trading, until his appointment as GMD/CEO.

Dr. Onyeagwu currently serves on the board of the following organizations:

i.           Chairman, Board of Zenith Pensions Custodian Limited

ii. Chairman, Zenpay Limited

iii. Member, Board of Zenith Bank (UK) Limited

iv. Member, Board of FMDQ Holdings Plc

v.           Member, Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF)

vi. Member of the Board, International Monetary Conference (IMC)

vii. Member, Wall Street Journal CEO Council

viii. Member, African Trade Gateway Advisory Council of the Africa Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank)

ix. Member, Governing Council of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN)

x.           Member, Mastercard Eastern Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EEMEA) Advisory Board.

He has also previously served on the boards of:

i.           Zenith Bank Ghana Limited

ii. Zenith General Insurance

iii. Zenith Securities Limited

iv. Zenith Assets Management Company

v.           Zenith Medicare Limited and

vi. Africa Finance Corporation (AFC)

Dr. Onyeagwu has received several prestigious awards and recognitions which include:

i.           Bank CEO of the Year 2019 by Champion Newspaper,

ii. Bank CEO of the Year by BusinessDay Newspaper – 2020, 2021 and 2022

iii. CEO of the Year at the SERAS Africa Sustainability Awards – 2020 and 2021

iv. Bank CEO of the Year 2022 by Leadership Newspaper.

v.           Best Banking CEO of the Year in Africa for 2023 and 2024 by the International Banker

vi. Bank CEO of the Year 2023, by New Telegraph

vii. Banker of the Year 2023, Champions Newspaper

viii. Doctor of Business Administration (Honoris Causa) by University of Nigeria, Nsukka

ix. Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) Merit Award 2024, Members’ Category