Zenith Bank Plc has appointed Mr Kennedy Onuwa Okwudili as Executive Director, effective May 1, 2026, in a move the bank says is aligned with its succession plan to develop internal leadership and reinforce its executive management team.
The appointment was disclosed in a filing to the Nigerian Exchange signed by Company Secretary Michael Otu, which highlighted Mr Okwudili’s more than 25 years of experience at Zenith Bank across credit and marketing, treasury, compliance and operations.
The bank stated that Mr Okwudili holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from the University of Maiduguri, an MBA from Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria and a Master of Science in Accounting from Veritas University Abuja obtained in 2021.
He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria and an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Taxation, and has worked in multiple zones and departments within the institution.
Zenith Bank added that Mr Okwudili has attended senior executive programmes in Nigeria and abroad, including the Senior Leadership Development Program at Lagos Business School, the Corporate Directorship Program at Harvard Business School and the Advanced Management Program at Oxford Saïd Business School.
He currently serves as President of the Catholic Bankers Association of Nigeria.
ALSO READ
The board decision comes as Zenith Bank continues to post strong financial results, with the group reporting a pre-tax profit of N917.4 billion for the nine months to September 30, 2025.
The performance was driven by a 40.8 per cent rise in interest income to N2.74 trillion, higher fees and commissions, and modest balance sheet growth.
Interest on loans and advances reached N1.3 trillion over the period, while investment securities, including about N400.3 billion from treasury bills, generated N740.5 billion.
Total assets rose 2.6 per cent to N31.18 trillion on the back of higher cash balances, loan growth and increased holdings of securities.
Analysts expect Zenith Bank’s yet-to-be-released 2025 audited results to reflect the momentum seen in the nine-month numbers.
The stock has gained more than 73 per cent on the Nigerian Exchange so far in 2026, recently crossing the N100 mark for the first time and trading around N107.5 per share in premarket dealings on March 24, 2026.
The promotion of Kennedy Onuwa Okwudili is seen as part of a broader effort to match Zenith Bank’s expanding balance sheet and strong market performance with deeper leadership capacity at the top.
Nigeria’s banking sector continues to navigate currency reforms, inflation, and evolving regulatory demands.
