Business
UBA Group Appoints Liadi, Alawuba as Deputy Managing Directors
United Bank for Africa Plc (UBA), the leading pan-African financial services group, has announce the appointments of Ayoku Liadi and Oliver Alawuba as Deputy Managing Directors in charge of UBA’s Nigeria and Africa businesses, respectively.
The creation of the new positions, reporting to Group CEO, Kennedy Uzoka, represents further strategic recognition of the growth of UBA’s pan-African business, now representing in excess of 40% of Group revenue, and the critical importance of Nigeria, the Group’s largest market. Combined with UBA’s unique International Business, operating from New York, London and Paris, UBA Africa and Nigeria, offer an unparalleled service offering to clients across Africa and globally.
Commenting on the appointments, Group Chairman Tony O. Elumelu said:
“In 2005, we set out our pan-African vision. Fifteen years later, we are present in 20 African countries, serving over 20 million clients, leveraging our service culture and technology platform, to provide an integrated and seamless customer offering across the continent. In Africa, we lead in innovation and service, whilst our International Business, operating from New York, Paris and London, provides global and African clients access to treasury, trade finance and corporate banking products, uniquely tailored to the African opportunity. These senior appointments represent our commitment to optimise our management structure to best serve our clients and drive our business success.”
Mr. Oliver Alawuba
Oliver Alawuba has worked with the UBA Group for almost 20 years and was appointed in January 2020, CEO for the Group’s Africa operations. Oliver’s knowledge of UBA’s business in Africa is unrivalled. He previously held the role as CEO of UBA in Ghana and more recently, as Regional CEO for UBA in Anglophone Africa.
Ayoku Liadi joined the UBA Group in 2014 and was appointed the Executive Director of Lagos and West bank in Nigeria, two years later. Ayo is widely recognised for his innovation in driving business development.
Also announced today by the UBA Group Board, was the retirement from the Board with effect from August 01, 2020, of Dan Okeke who has been with the UBA Group for 22 years. Dan served on the board as an Executive Director for three terms and a total of nine years. According to the Group Chairman, ‘Dan was born for UBA. He has worked tirelessly for the Group and achieved so much in the past two decades. We will miss him, but he will still be very much around us’.
UBA is one of the largest employers in the financial sector on the African continent, with approximately 20,000 employees group wide and serving over 20 million customers. Operating in 20 African countries and globally in the United Kingdom, the United States and France, UBA provides retail, commercial and institutional banking services, leading financial inclusion and implementing cutting edge products such as the first ever banking chat bot in Africa, LEO.
The Niger Delta Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Trade, Mines and Agriculture (NDCCITMA) has dismissed allegations that it appropriated the Niger Delta Economic & Investment Summit (NDEIS) brand, insisting it lawfully obtained trademark acceptance for the name and will proceed with its 2026 summit as scheduled.
In a statement issued on September 12, 2026, the chamber described claims by Kunle Nwiwa Junior as “cheap blackmail, misleading, mischievous and a misrepresentation of the facts,” maintaining that it independently developed the summit and followed all required regulatory procedures.
According to NDCCITMA, it applied for and received a Trademark Acceptance Letter for the name Niger Delta Economic & Investment Summit (NDEIS) in August 2025 under File No. NG/TM/O/2025/387284.
The chamber said the chronology of events contradicts allegations that it copied another party’s application, arguing that its trademark acceptance predated the period during which Nwiwa’s own application was reportedly still pending before the relevant authorities.
“Economic Summit” is a generic expression
NDCCITMA further argued that the phrase “Economic Summit” is a generic description widely used for conferences that bring together governments, investors, businesses, development institutions and other stakeholders to discuss investment and economic development.
The chamber maintained that while concepts may be widely used, legal protection only arises from recognised intellectual property rights, including duly registered trademarks and other enforceable proprietary interests.
It therefore rejected suggestions that any individual or organisation has exclusive ownership of the broader concept of an economic summit.
Court grants interim injunction
Addressing reports that the summit had been halted, NDCCITMA said the dispute is already before the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt and that there is no court order restraining the event.
The chamber disclosed that in Suit No. FHC/PHC/CS/57/2026, Justice Stephen Dalyop Pam granted an interim injunction restraining the defendants—Kunle Nwiwa Junior and Keneva Consult Ltd.—from interfering with the planned summit.
According to NDCCITMA, the court also directed the defendants to remove publications, notices, petitions, social media posts and other statements allegedly considered damaging to the chamber’s name, integrity and reputation pending the hearing of its motion for interlocutory injunction.
The matter has been adjourned until September 22, 2026 for further hearing.
Chamber rejects ₦500 million demand claim
NDCCITMA also alleged that it had received a demand from Nwiwa Junior requesting ₦500 million as a condition for abandoning his claims over the summit.
The chamber said the demand was rejected, adding that it subsequently petitioned the Inspector-General of Police over what it described as repeated harassment and threats directed at its officials.
It said the petition sought police intervention, including inviting the complainant for questioning and caution where necessary.
Summit opens September 15
Despite the legal dispute, NDCCITMA reaffirmed that the 2026 Niger Delta Economic & Investment Summit will hold from September 15 to 17, 2026, at the Obi Wali Conference Centre in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The summit will be held under the theme “Driving Investment, Innovation & Industrial Growth in the Niger Delta” and is expected to bring together policymakers, investors, business leaders, development partners and industry stakeholders to discuss economic transformation across the region.
The chamber said it remains committed to promoting commerce, industry, trade, mining, agriculture and sustainable economic development throughout the Niger Delta while allowing the courts to determine all outstanding legal issues.
Tinubu Niger Delta summit opens in Port Harcourt as investors and policymakers gather to drive investment, innovation and industrial growth
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