Mr. Ebenezer Onyeagwu has extensive experience in the banking and finance industry, having received training from reputable institutions in Nigeria, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America.

He is the CEO of Zenith Bank from 2019 till March 31st, 2024, has the Central Bank of Nigeria announced their new appointee on Tuesday, March 19, 2024.

Educational Background

Mr. Onyeagwu graduated from Auchi Polytechnic with a degree in Accounting. He obtained his Ordinary National diploma in 1984 and his Higher National Diploma in 1987. In 1989, he successfully qualified as a Chartered Accountant while completing the compulsory National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) post graduation. His achievements continued as he was honored as a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (FCA) in 2003.

He graduated from the renowned University of Oxford in England, earning a Postgraduate Diploma in Financial Strategy and a certificate in Macroeconomics. He pursued executive level business education at prestigious institutions such as Wharton Business School, Columbia Business School, Harvard Business School, and Lagos Business School.

Career Journey

With almost three decades of experience in the banking industry in Nigeria, he brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the table. In 2002, he became a Senior Manager at Zenith Bank Plc, working in the Internal Control and Audit Group. His exceptional qualities and dedication to the bank’s goals led to his rapid promotion from Assistant General Manager to Deputy General Manager, and finally to the position of General Manager between 2003 and 2005. Throughout his roles, he successfully implemented strategies for new business and branch development, effectively managed risk assets portfolios, oversaw treasury functions, and cultivated strong relationships with top-level corporate, multinationals, and public institutions.

Mr. Onyeagwu, in his role as Deputy Managing Director, has a wide range of responsibilities. He oversees various aspects of the bank’s operations, including Financial Control and Strategic Planning, Risk Management, Retail Banking, Institutional and Corporate banking business portfolios, IT Group, Credit Administration, Treasury and Foreign Exchange Trading, and general administration of the bank.

In 2013, he was appointed as the Executive Director of the bank. He was given responsibility for the Lagos and South-South Zones, as well as various strategic groups and business units within the bank. These included Financial Control & Strategic Planning, Treasury and Correspondent Groups, Human Resources Group, Oil and Gas Group, and Credit Risk Management Group, among others. In 2016, he was appointed as the Deputy Managing Director of the bank.

Mr. Onyeagwu has served on the boards of Zenith Bank Ghana, Zenith Pensions Custodian Limited, Zenith Nominees Limited, and African Finance Corporation (AFC) for the past six years. He is a member of the Board Risk & Investment Committee (BRIC) and Board Audit & Compliance Committee (BAAC) in AFC. He holds the position of chair for the Board Credit and Governance Committees at Zenith Bank Ghana.

He possesses a strong sense of strategy, motivates others with his leadership, and demonstrates a dynamic and enterprising approach in his work. He has a family.