Mr. Joseph Mchiaga Tsavsar, F.CIoD
PROFESSIONAL PROFILE
Joseph M. Tsavsar is a Certified Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) Specialist, Fellow of the
Chartered Institute of Directors (CIoD) Nigeria, Registered Independent Director, and
Member of the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria (FRCN), with over 25 years of
experience across infrastructure development, power sector reform, corporate governance,
and public policy advisory.
He brings extensive board-level experience, having served as a Non-Executive Director of
Jos Electricity Distribution Company, where he provided strategic oversight, approved
corporate strategy and budgets, strengthened risk governance structures, and ensured
regulatory compliance in alignment with FRCN and sectoral requirements.
Mr. Tsavsar played a pivotal role in Nigeria’s power sector privatization as Executive
Director, Finance & Administration at Aura Energy Limited, where he coordinated the
consortium bidding process that secured preferred bidder status for Jos Electricity
Distribution Company. His experience spans infrastructure finance, PPP structuring,
regulatory frameworks, and stakeholder engagement across public and private sectors.
As Special Adviser to the Chairman, Senate Committee on Power, he coordinated
legislative reforms culminating in the amendment of the Electric Power Sector Reform
(EPSR) Act 2005, providing strategic advisory on sector policy, oversight, and governance
matters.
He has held leadership positions within the Chartered Institute of Directors (CIoD) Nigeria,
including Chairman of the Abuja Zone, where he led governance advocacy initiatives and
institutional partnerships across Northern Nigeria. He currently serves as Interim
Chairman, Agric & Agro-Allied Sector Committee of the Institute.
EDUCATION
• MBA (Marketing), Benue State University
• Postgraduate Diploma in Management, Benue State University
• B.Sc. (Hons) Geography, University of Jos
PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATIONS & EXECUTIVE TRAINING
• Certified Public-Private Partnerships Specialist – Institute of Public-Private
Partnerships (IP3), USA
• Best IP3 Alumni of the Year (2014)
• Fellow, Chartered Institute of Directors (CIoD) Nigeria
• Registered Independent Director, CIoD Nigeria
• Member, Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria (FRCN)
Executive training includes programs at:
• Harvard Kennedy School (Public Financial Management)
• Duke University (Budget & Public Financial Management)
• World Bank Group (Financing for Development – Distinction)
• European University Institute, Italy (Power Sector Regulation)
• International Leadership & Corporate Governance Programs (UK, USA, UAE)
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Jos Electricity Distribution Company (JEDC)
Non-Executive Director (2013 – 2019)
• Provided strategic board oversight and corporate governance leadership.
• Approved corporate strategy, budgets, and external audit processes.
• Member, Risk Management Committee; Chairman, Health & Safety Committee.
AURA ENERGY LTD
Executive Director, Finance & Administration (2013 – 2020)
• Led consortium bidding process for acquisition of Jos Electricity Distribution
Company during Nigeria’s power sector privatization.
• Coordinated technical and financial partners, culminating in preferred bidder status.
Inter Asa Limited (Agribusiness)
Managing Director
• Established and manages a 45,000-capacity poultry operation.
• Secured Bank of Industry funding and oversees commercial operations.
PROFESSIONAL LEADERSHIP & GOVERNANCE
Chartered Institute of Directors (CIoD) Nigeria – Abuja Zone
• Chairman (2021 – 2023)
• Vice Chairman (2019 – 2021)
• Current Interim Chairman, Agric & Agro-Allied Sector Committee
Mr. Urum Kalu Eke, MFR, F.CIoD
Mr. U.K. Eke served as Group Managing Director (GMD), FBN Holdings Plc between January 1, 2016 and December 31, 2021. He joined the Board of First Bank of Nigeria Limited, an FBN Holdings PLC subsidiary in 2011 as Executive Director, Public Sector South, and later became Executive Director, South before he was elevated to the position of GMD of FBN Holdings PLC. He also served on the boards of First Bank of Nigeria Limited, FBNQuest Merchant Bank Limited, FBNBank London and First Pensions Custodian Ltd as a Non-Executive Director.
Prior to joining First Bank, he worked in Diamond Bank Plc, rising to Executive Director position in 2005 before retiring in 2011.
In 2017, he was appointed to the board of the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (Sovereign Wealth Fund) and served until 2021.
Before starting his illustrious banking career, he spent 6 years in Deloitte Haskins & Sells International where he trained and qualified as a Chartered Accountant.
He has over four decades experience in financial services, strategy, auditing, consulting, taxation, process re-engineering, and capital market operations.
He is currently the Executive Chairman of FAIRCHILD GROUP comprising Fairchild Capital Ltd, Fairchild Properties Ltd and Hudiya + Esther Consulting Services. He is the Chairman, Board of Directors of Infrastructure Finance and Management Company Ltd.
In 2024, UK was appointed to the Board of Directors of Development Bank of Nigeria (which shareholders include the African Development Bank and European Investment Bank) as Independent Non-Executive Director.
He is the immediate past Chairman, Board of Directors of NSIA-LUTH Cancer Centre, the foremost cancer treatment centre.
He is a Council member of The Chartered Institute of Directors of Nigeria (CIoD) and currently serves as the Chairman, Board of Governors of CIoD Centre for Corporate Governance.
U.K, a Fellow, The Chartered Institute of Directors of Nigeria, Fellow, Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, Fellow, Institute of Management Consultants and Fellow, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, holds a first degree in Political Science (University of Lagos) and an MBA in Project Management Technology (Federal University of Technology, Owerri).
He has attended several Executive Management and Board training programs at top global institutions including Harvard Business School, Stanford Business School, IESE Barcelona, China European International Business School (CEIBS) Shanghai, China, International Institute for Management and Development Lausanne, Switzerland, Wharton Business School and Lagos Business School.
U.K. Eke is a recipient of the Zik Prize in Professional Leadership (2021) and Nigeria’s National Honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR). He is happily married with children.
Dr. Funmilayo Bola Babington-Ashaye, F.CIoD
Dr. (Mrs.) Funmi Babington-Ashaye is the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Risk Analyst Insurance Brokers Limited, a distinguished insurance professional with over four decades of experience. She is widely regarded for her exemplary leadership, outstanding professional accomplishments, and sustained contributions to the advancement of the insurance industry.
Babington-Ashaye was the former Managing Director/ Chief Executive of Cornerstone Insurance Plc and NICON Insurance Plc. She is an Alumnus of Lagos Business School and a Fellow of the Chartered Insurance Institute, both of Nigeria and the United Kingdom. In addition, she is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Insurance Brokers, and a Fellow of the Institute of Directors Nigeria, with a Master’s in Entrepreneurship from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), United States of America.
In 2017, she became President/Chairman of the Council of the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria, the premier insurance body responsible for promoting skills development and professional conduct among members engaged in the industry. This reinforced her position as a thought leader in the insurance sector in Nigeria. She also serves on the boards of various companies and is a council member of many professional bodies, including the Chartered Institute of Directors in Nigeria.
Aside from her existing Directorial responsibilities, Babington-Ashaye has won notable awards which includes the Top 50 women in Insurance in Africa Award presented by African Insurance Organisation in 2022, Lagos Female Entrepreneur of the Year 2022 Award by Ikeanumba Magazine, The Outstanding Women of Ultimate Distinction 2022 by ThisDay Newspaper, Nigeria’s 50 Most Outstanding and Impactful Women in Leadership 2021 – The Guardian Newspapers, Africa’s Patriotic Amazon of the year 2021 Award by PAN – African Students Movement. She is also a Doctoral Fellow of the International Certified Risk Management Professionals United Kingdom.
She is currently a participant in the Senior Executive Course (SEC) 48, 2026 at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, Nigeria, under the sponsorship of the Presidency. Dr (Mrs.) Funmilayo Babington-Ashaye also serves as Vice-Chairman of the Membership and Branch Development Committee of the Chartered Institute of Directors, Nigeria. In addition, she has served on several other committees, including as a Member of the Audit, Risk and Compliance Committee, Chairman of the Women Directors Conference, and Member of the Financial Sector Committee.
Babington-Ashaye is also an author. In 2017, she published a book titled “Insurance in Practice –All you need to know about Insurance in Nigeria”.
Mrs. Folusho Ibiyemi Olaniyan, OON, F.CIoD
Folusho is an accomplished corporate leader and agribusiness strategist whose career spans over three decades of impactful leadership across Nigeria and Africa. As Independent Non-Executive Director & Chairman, Investment Committee of Oduʼan Investment Company with credit rating upgraded to A− by Agusto & Co. (2025).
She served as acMember, Governing Council of the Chartered Institute of Directors Nigeria (2025–Present), she serves as Chair of the Director Development & Certification Committee.
She also serves on the Technical Committee of British American Tobacco Nigeria Foundation advising on sustainable agriculture and afforestation programmes. As Programme Director of Agrainnovate West Africa (Informa Middle East, 2016–2022), she directed West Africa’s premier agribusiness trade conference attracting 6,000+ attendees annually. She previously served on the advisory council of the BASICS project (Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation / IITA.
Folusho holds a Corporate Director Certificate from Harvard Business School, an MPA from the University of Lagos, She is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing UK (FCIM) and a Cochran Fellow of the USDA. She was conferred the national honour Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) by the President of Nigeria in 2014 in recognition of her contribution to national development.
Mrs. Bisi Adeyemi, F.CIoD
Bisi Adeyemi is the Managing Director/CEO of DCSL Corporate Services Ltd. She is a 1986 Law graduate of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1987. Bisi holds an MBA from the Lagos Business School, Pan Atlantic University.
Prior to joining DCSL, Bisi was the Chief Legal Officer and Company Secretary with a downstream oil and gas company. Before then, she was the General Counsel with a multinational dredging company.
Bisi is a member of the International Bar Association, a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Directors and a Past President at the Nigerian British Chamber of Commerce. Bisi has attended Leadership Training at the Harvard Business School, The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania and the Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University Illinois.
Bisi served as the first non founder Chairman of Women in Management, Business and Public Service (WIMBIZ). She is a Non-Executive Director on the Boards of First Trustees Ltd, Eventful Nigeria and Chairs the Advisory Board of Gatimo Apparel (Owners of Ruff and Tumble).
Bisi is passionate about Corporate Governance and facilitates Board level training on the subject. She is a resource person at the Chartered Institute of Directors.
Mrs. Christabel Onyejekwe, F.CIoD
Mrs. Christabel Onyejekwe is a distinguished business executive and corporate governance professional with over three decades of experience in Nigeria’s financial services sector. She is widely recognised for her contributions to banking operations, financial infrastructure development, corporate strategy, and governance excellence.
She previously served as Executive Director, Business Development at the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System Plc (NIBSS), where she led several strategic initiatives that strengthened Nigeria’s financial ecosystem and payment infrastructure. Prior to this role, she also served as Executive Director, Technology & Operations at NIBSS, driving innovation and operational efficiency within the organisation. Her professional career spans notable institutions including First Bank of Nigeria, United Bank for Africa (UBA), and other financial institutions, where she held key leadership positions across banking operations, corporate strategy, treasury management, and business development.
Mrs. Onyejekwe is an accomplished boardroom leader who currently serves on the boards of several reputable organisations, bringing extensive expertise in governance, strategy, risk management, and institutional leadership. In 2025, she was appointed Chairperson of Africa Prudential Plc following her earlier appointment as an Independent Non-Executive Director of the company.
She holds a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B Hons.) degree from the University of Lagos and an MBA in Banking and Finance from ESUT Business School. She has also attended executive education programmes at globally renowned institutions including Harvard Business School, INSEAD, Wharton, and MIT.
A passionate advocate for leadership development and professional excellence, Mrs. Onyejekwe is actively involved in mentoring and capacity-building initiatives, including the Women in Management, Business and Public Service (WIMBIZ) mentoring programme. She is also a Fellow and honorary member of several professional bodies, reflecting her commitment to ethical leadership and continuous professional development.
Her wealth of experience, integrity, and dedication to advancing corporate governance principles continue to position her as a respected leader within Nigeria’s corporate and professional landscape
Dr. Fatumata Soukouna Coker, F.CIoD
Dr. Fatumata Soukouna Coker is a distinguished Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Directors Nigeria and an accomplished board leader with over 20 years of experience driving regional transformation across 43 African nations. She currently serves as the Chairman of the Board for CreditRegistry (Nigeria’s pioneer and largest credit bureau) and Afrinvest (a leading West African investment bank). In these roles, she provides strategic oversight for multi-billion dollar ecosystems that serve as the critical infrastructure for the continent’s financial markets.
Dedicated Service to the Institute
Dr. Coker has a consistent record of active participation within the Institute’s leadership structures. Most notably, she served for two years as the lead for the Digital Experience within the Annual Conference Committee, and as the Committee Chairman for a subsequent two-year tenure. Her leadership was instrumental in overseeing the Institute’s digital transition and ensuring the seamless delivery of world-class experiences for the general membership.
Global Executive Expertise
Her executive background includes over a decade at IBM, where she managed a $5.2 billion brand pipeline, and a senior role at Microsoft WECA, where she achieved a 153% revenue surge across the region. This unique blend of global corporate rigor and local board governance provides her with a sophisticated understanding of Policy, Regulation, and Governance Standards. She is recognized for her ability to coordinate complex, data-driven stakeholders to drive industrial and financial progress.
Core Competencies for the Governing Council
Dr. Coker brings a wealth of specialized expertise, specifically in:
• Digital Governance & AI Integration: Scaling institutional footprints through advanced technology.
• Capital Mobilization: Leveraging deep ties with Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) to support institutional objectives.
• Ethical Leadership: Promoting institutional integrity and a robust credit culture across the Nigerian economy.
Dr. Coker holds an Honorary Doctorate in Global Leadership and Management, an MBA in IT Management, and is an alumna of Harvard Business School’s executive education program.
Mrs. Abimbola Olakunbi Wright, F.CIoD
With over 30 years of banking experience and more than two decades of board-level leadership across private sector and not-for-profit organisations, I bring extensive expertise in corporate governance, strategic oversight, risk management, and sustainable value creation. Throughout my career, I have worked at the intersection of strategy, governance, and transformation, helping organisations strengthen governance frameworks, improve performance, and create long-term stakeholder value.
I am currently the pioneer Chairman of Arami Essentials, a digitally enabled clean beauty company; Non-Executive Director of Ecobank Nigeria, a subsidiary of Ecobank Transnational Incorporated, a leading pan-African banking group; and Independent Non-Executive Director of both MainOne Cable Company Nigeria (part of Equinix Inc., USA) and ARM Capital, the investment banking subsidiary of ARM Holdings. My board committee experience spans Audit & Compliance, Risk, Credit, Governance, and Transformation.
Previously, I served as a Non-Executive Director of ARM Secur
ities and Kakawa Asset Management. My broader governance contributions include serving on the Governing Council of the IoD Nigeria Centre for Corporate Governance, a collaborative initiative of CIoD Nigeria, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and the Corporate Affairs Commission. I have also served as a pioneer member of the Governing Council of Pinefields Montessori School, Lagos, and as an Executive Council member of Women in Management, Business and Public Service (WIMBIZ).
My executive career spans NAL Bank, Kakawa Discount House, and FBNQuest Merchant Bank, where I held leadership roles in corporate banking, client coverage, wealth management, and business transformation. I have led the origination, structuring, execution and distribution of project and corporate financing solutions across key sectors of the economy while strengthening risk management, regulatory compliance, and sustainability practices. I also championed major transformation initiatives, including customer experience enhancement, business process re-engineering, culture transformation, balanced scorecard implementation, and digital transformation. At FBNQuest Merchant Bank, I chaired the Human Capital Committee and served on the Innovation and Synergy Committees of FBN Holdings.
I am a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Directors Nigeria and the Nigerian Institute of Management (Chartered), a Member of the Institute of Directors (UK), and a Member of the Society for Corporate Governance Nigeria. My executive education includes programmes at Harvard Business School, Wharton, London Business School, Lagos Business School, and the Institute of Directors (Nigeria & UK). I hold the Certificate in Company Direction (IoD UK), Advanced Certification in Company Direction (CIoD Nigeria), Mastering Design Thinking (MIT, USA), and I am a certified PRINCE2 Project Manager.
As an active member of CIoD with a passion for advancing excellence in governance and leadership, I currently serve on the Membership & Branch Development Committee and the 2026 Annual Directors’ Conference Committee. Past roles include membership of the Women Directors Development Committee, moderating panel discussions, and serving on three Presidential Investiture Planning Committees. I possess a strong professional and social network, excellent interpersonal and stakeholder engagement skills, sound judgement, independence of thought and a collaborative mindset.
Barr. Franklin F. Peterside, F.CIoD
Barrister Franklin F. Peterside is a highly respected Nigerian legal practitioner, Notary Public, and the Principal Partner of Global Law Firm (GLF), Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Called to the Nigerian Bar in 1985, he has over four decades of extensive experience in legal practice, offering expert advisory, advocacy, and dispute resolution services to corporate entities, government institutions, and private clients.
As the founder of Global Law Firm, established in 1988, Barrister Peterside has successfully built and led the firm into a reputable full-service legal practice known for integrity, competence, efficiency, and client-focused service delivery. Under his leadership, the firm has developed strong expertise across key areas including Oil and Gas, Corporate and Commercial Law, Banking and Finance, Insurance, Capital Markets, Maritime Law, Intellectual Property, Employment Law, Real Estate, Immigration, Mediation, Arbitration, and Litigation.
Barrister Peterside is a Notary Public of Nigeria, a Paul Harris Fellow of Rotary International, and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Directors Nigeria (CIoD Nigeria). He is also an active member of prominent professional bodies, including the Nigerian Bar Association and the International Bar Association.
Renowned for his professionalism, ethical standards, and dedication to excellence, Barrister Franklin F. Peterside continues to make significant contributions to the legal profession and corporate governance practice in Nigeria.
Dr. Amobi Daniel Nwokafor, MFR, F.CIoD
Amobi Daniel Nwokafor is seasoned professional accountant with over 35 years of work experience in the accounting profession.
Dr. Nwokafor holds a B.Sc. degree from the University of Nigeria, Enugu campus, Masters degree in Banking and Finance from the Delta State University, Abraka and a PhD in Strategic Management from the Babcock University Illishan- Remo, Ogun State.
He is the Managing Partner of Amobi Nwokafor & Co. (Chartered Accountants). He is a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Directors (CIod), a Fellow of Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), a Fellow of Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN), a Fellow of Chartered institute of mediation and conciliation (ICMC) and a member of the Chartered institute of Arbitrators (ACIArb), to mention a few.
He has several years of work experience in private practice, finance, oil and gas and insurance industries. He was an General Manager and head of finance and accounts in International Standard Insurers Limited, before he resigned to set up the audit firm in 1998.
Dr. Amobi Nwokafor a Member of the Federal Republic (MFR).
Chairman of ACCKK Petroleum development Company Limited and on the board of several other companies was appointed to the board of MRS OIL NIGERIA PLC on April 27, 2017.
Pst. Kings C. Akuma, F.CIoD
Pst Akuma is a Fellow of both the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, and the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria. He coordinated comprehensive financial due diligence on several banks and has over three decades of in depth understanding of banking/finance operations, consulting, manufacturing, oil & gas, due diligence and forensic accounting. Pst Akuma is a Member of the Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators, as well as a Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Credit Administration.
Pst Akuma chairs the Board Credit Committee of Fidelity Bank and had also Chaired the Board Corporate Governance Committee. He is also a member of the Board Finance & General Purpose Committee, Board Audit Committee, Board Risk Committee, as well as the Shareholders Audit Committee.