Zenith Bank Plc has announced the appointment of Engr. Mustafa Bello as Chairman of its Board of Directors.

The appointment, which takes immediate effect, was approved by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and ratified by shareholders at the bank’s Annual General Meeting held on May 5, 2026.

The bank said Bello’s appointment represents a strategic step aimed at ensuring the continuity, stability, and sustained effectiveness of the board, while reinforcing the high standards of corporate governance, regulatory compliance, and strategic oversight for which Zenith Bank is known.

Bello joined the board of Zenith Bank Plc on December 29, 2017, and has served on several board committees, including the Board Audit and Compliance Committee, the Board Governance, Nomination and Remuneration Committee, and as Chairman of the Board Risk Management Committee before his appointment as board chairman.

According to the bank, he possesses extensive leadership experience at both board and executive levels, a strong understanding of corporate governance principles and regulatory expectations, and a proven track record in strategic oversight and organisational growth.

The bank added that he had consistently demonstrated integrity, independence, and sound judgement, qualities that distinguished him as the natural choice to lead the board into its next phase.

Bello is a distinguished engineer, statesman, and corporate leader whose career spans more than four decades across the public and private sectors of the Nigerian economy.

He served as Minister of Commerce of the Federal Republic of Nigeria from 1999 to 2002 under former President Olusegun Obasanjo, where he led the development of Nigeria’s World Trade Organisation (WTO)-compliant trade policy.

He also supervised the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) online project in 2002, which modernised business registration and operations in the country.

From November 2003 to February 2014, Bello served as Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC), where he played a key role in attracting foreign direct investment to Nigeria, building multilateral and bilateral partnerships, and representing the Federal Government at international conferences and missions.

He graduated from Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, in 1978 with a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Civil Engineering, Second Class Upper Division, winning the Shell Prize for the best project and thesis in the Faculty of Engineering.

Bello began his career with the Nigerian Army’s Directorate of Quartering and Engineering Services from 1978 to 1979 before joining the Niger State Housing Corporation as a Senior Civil Engineer from 1980 to 1983.

He is currently Chairman of Invest-in-Northern Nigeria Limited, a special purpose vehicle established for the economic and social transformation of Northern Nigeria.

He previously served on the boards of Eskom Holdings Limited of South Africa from 2004 to 2008 and FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria Plc as an Independent Non-Executive Director.

Bello is a Fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, a registered member of the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), and a Fellow of the Academy of Natural Sciences and Engineering in Nigeria (ANSEN).

Zenith Bank remains one of Africa’s leading financial institutions, with a strong capital base and operations across Nigeria, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, Ghana, Sierra Leone, The Gambia, and Côte d’Ivoire.