Nigeria’s banking sector has continued to impress in 2025, with some banks posting solid profits despite the economic headwinds.
At the center of this performance are the leaders steering these institutions, chairpersons whose vision, governance, and strategic decisions often determine how well their banks navigate challenges and seize opportunities.
For this feature, we looked at banks listed on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) and focused on those with the highest asset for the nine months ended September 30, 2025.
This gives a clear picture of which leaders are driving real financial results, not just making headlines.
Our analysis highlights 10 chairpersons at the helm of Nigeria’s best-performing banks.
In this roundup, we take a closer look at the people behind the numbers, the chairpersons whose oversight and strategic direction have helped their banks grow deposits, expand lending, and strengthen balance sheets.
From shaping policy to driving innovation, these leaders are setting the pace for banking excellence in Nigeria, proving that strong leadership is just as important as strong financials.
Asset: N3.9 trillion
Dr. (Mrs) Oluwayemisi Olorunshola is an experienced supply chain and business management professional with a career spanning over 25 years across multinational organisations and business leadership roles. As the chairman she holds 3,178 direct shares.
She holds a B.Sc. in Education & Economics from Obafemi Awolowo University, an MBA from the University of Liverpool, UK, and a Doctorate in Business Administration from Walden University, USA. Her expertise covers every aspect of the supply chain, including business and production planning, procurement, distribution, import/export, and logistics services.
Dr. Olorunshola is also a passionate advocate for education and small business sustainability, with widely cited publications in FEAcademia, Proguest.com, and Academia.edu. She is a Fellow of the International Institute for African Scholars and a Chartered Member of the Nigerian Chartered Institute of Personnel Management, and she actively volunteers in community development initiatives.
She joined the Board of Wema Bank Plc in January 2022. Under her oversight, the bank’s balance sheet showed remarkable resilience, with equity attributable to shareholders nearly doubling to N512.02 billion, up from N256.42 billion.
With 13 directors, Wema Bank recorded N3.59 trillion assets in 2024, growing to N3.97 trillion by 9 months of 2025. Despite shareholding shifts due to retirements and ceased directorships, the bank maintains structural stability.
Asset: N7.2 trillion
Asset: N7.2 trillion
Oladipupo Jadesimi is the chairman of FCMB and currently holds 197,312,000 direct shares in the Group, reflecting his significant leadership influence and long-term commitment to the institution.
He has served as Chairman since 2018, guiding the organisation with strategic clarity and a strong governance mindset shaped by decades of experience across sectors. His profile combines legal expertise, finance knowledge, and entrepreneurial leadership, positioning him as a respected figure in Nigeria’s corporate landscape.
Jadesimi earned an M.A. (Honours) in Law from Oxford University, where he was a Jurisprudence Scholar from 1963 to 1966. This academic foundation set the stage for his early professional journey, beginning as a Senior Partner with Coopers and Lybrand Lagos (now part of PwC) between 1966 and 1970. His background in law and corporate finance has remained a central pillar in his business career.
He is also the Founder and Chairman of Ladol Group, developers of Nigeria’s largest indigenous Free Zone Industrial Park, which supports major industrial and offshore operations. In addition, he chairs the board of Niger Delta Exploration and Production Plc, one of the country’s leading indigenous oil and gas companies.
FCMB subsidiaries include FCMB Capital Markets, CSL Stockbrokers, FCMB Microfinance, and Credit Direct Finance Company. FCMB has 60 directors, with assets growing from N7.05 trillion (2024) to N7.23 trillion (9 months 2025), reflecting incremental expansion.
Asset: N8.3 trillion
Sola David-Borha was appointed Chairman of Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc in September 2024, following the retirement of Mr. Basil Omiyi and the completion of all regulatory approvals. Her appointment comes at a time of strong financial momentum for the group, underscoring the board’s confidence in her depth of leadership and institutional knowledge.
Mrs. David-Borha brings over 30 years of experience in financial services across Africa. She retired in 2021 as Chief Executive of Standard Bank’s Africa Regions, after previously serving as Chief Executive of Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc and Stanbic IBTC Bank.
The group oversees multiple subsidiaries such as Stanbic IBTC Bank, Pension Managers, Asset Management, Capital, Insurance, Trustees, and fintech unit Zest Payments. Stanbic recorded N6.91 trillion in assets in 2024, rising to N8.38 trillion by 9M 2025, highlighting modest but steady growth.
An alumna of Harvard Business School and the Global CEO Program of CEIBS, Wharton and IESE, Mrs. David-Borha also serves as a Non-Executive Director on the boards of Standard Bank of South Africa and Standard Bank Group.
Asset: N10.5 trillion
Mustafa Chike-Obi has been the Chairman of Fidelity Bank since July 2020, bringing a wealth of experience from global investment banking and asset management. He holds a direct share of 39.5 million shares as at 2024.
Before joining Fidelity, he served as Executive Chairman at Alpha African Advisory and held senior positions at major institutions including Chase Merchant Bank, Goldman Sachs, Shoreline Group, Bear Stearns, and Guggenheim Partners.
These roles gave him deep expertise in capital markets, both in mature and emerging economies, including the development and marketing of fixed-income securities to institutional investors. Notably, he pioneered the concept of the Treasury Department in Nigerian banking, heading the first of its kind.
Chike-Obi holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and an MBA from Stanford School of Business, and serves on the boards of several blue-chip companies.
Under his leadership, Fidelity Bank has demonstrated robust growth. Its structure includes Fidelity Bank UK and limited disclosed subsidiary operations. With 13 shareholders, Fidelity reports N8.82 trillion assets (2024) increasing to N10.55 trillion by 9 month 2025, indicating a growth trajectory.
Asset: N16.6 trillion
Suleiman Barau was appointed Group Chairman of Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc (GTCO) earlier in the year, subject to regulatory approval, as part of the group’s long-term succession planning. The appointment was announced at GTCO’s fourth Annual General Meeting, marking a return to the boardroom for one of Nigeria’s most seasoned financial policymakers.
A former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Barau brings decades of experience spanning public service, merchant banking, commercial banking, and central banking.
He was a pioneering director of GTCO following its restructuring and is widely regarded for his deep understanding of monetary policy, financial stability, and institutional governance.
His public service career spanned over 18 years, including roles as Principal Economist at the Nigerian Mining Corporation, Special Adviser to the CBN Governor, Acting Managing Director of the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Plc, and two-term Deputy Governor before retiring in 2017.
Barau assumes the chairmanship at a time of balance-sheet expansion for GTCO. For the nine months ended September 2025, the group reported profit of N699.64 billion, reflecting a decline from the prior year due to the absence of exceptional foreign-exchange gains.