Here are 10 notable appointments of Nigerian women in 2026

In 2026, Nigerian women took on major leadership roles across business, technology, finance, law, and other key sectors, with several high-profile appointments placing them at the helm of influential organisations.

From Precious Eniayekan’s appointment as Group Head of Marketing at SLOT Systems Nigeria to Olugbemisola Odusola becoming Director General of the Nigerian Law School, these appointments reflect the growing presence of Nigerian women in positions where major business and institutional decisions are made.

For a technology-focused audience, these appointments matter beyond the headlines. Leadership changes at major organisations can shape how companies approach innovation, digital transformation, talent, finance, regulation, and the future of work. They also offer a picture of the women increasingly occupying decision-making positions across Nigeria’s corporate and professional landscape.

Here are 10 notable appointments of Nigerian women in 2026 that stood out.

1. Precious Eniayekan,  Head of Marketing at SLOT Systems Nigeria

Precious Eniayekan was appointed as Group Head of Marketing at SLOT Systems Limited on September 2nd, 2026.

SLOT Systems Limited is one of Nigeria’s largest technology retail and distribution companies, which seeks to strengthen its brand strategy, customer experience and growth initiatives across Nigeria. 

Her appointment will lead SLOT Systems’ integrated marketing strategy, with responsibility for brand management, corporate communications, digital marketing, customer engagement, retail marketing, partnerships and innovation. 

2. Bode Abifarin, MD and CEO of MoMo Payment Service Bank 

MoMo Payment Service Bank, MoMo PSB, the fintech subsidiary of MTN Nigeria, appointed Bode Abifarin as its Lagos Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, effective September 1st, 2026.

Before joining MoMo PSB, she served as Chief Operating Officer of Flutterwave, where she played a key role in the company’s expansion into multiple markets and the development of scalable operating models.

With over 23 years of experience across financial services, consulting, digital payments, fintech, strategy, operations and business transformation, this new appointment marked a new phase in the growth of the digital financial services company. 

3. Elohor Aiboni, Executive Vice President and Country Chair of Nigeria at Shell

Elohor Aiboni was appointed as the Executive Vice President and Country Chair for Shell Nigeria on August 1st, 2026, but was announced on June 18, 2026. 

She is the first Nigerian to take up the combined role of Executive Vice President and Country Chair for Nigeria, bringing over 24 years of experience within Shell across Nigeria’s offshore, shallow-water, and onshore businesses, with international assignments in Kazakhstan and Brunei. 

She became Managing Director of SNEPCo in 2021, the first woman to hold the post, and led the deep-water business and associated investments in Nigeria, with Bonga achieving the one-billionth barrel of oil in 2023. 

She left Nigeria for Brunei in 2024, where she had been overseeing asset performance, production, and project delivery.

4. Folake Soetan, Managing Director of Arahas

The official appointment date of Folake Soetan as the Managing Director of Arahas Global Oilfield Services (a Sahara Group subsidiary) was July 1st, 2026. 

Soetan brought to the role a compelling blend of strategic leadership, operational depth, and transformation experience, shaped by years of leading complex businesses within Nigeria and Ghana’s energy sector. 

She had previously worked in the Midstream, Downstream, Power and Airline Sectors as the CEO of Ikeja Electric. During her tenure, she drove significant operational and organisational improvements, strengthened customer-centric initiatives, and led the business through a period of heightened performance focus within one of Africa’s largest electricity distribution companies.

5. Olugbemisola Odusote, Director General of the Nigerian Law School

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu approved the appointment of Dr Olugbemisola Titilayo Odusote as the Director-General of the Nigerian Law School on January 6, 2026. The appointment officially took effect on January 10, 2026, for a four-year term.

She is the first female Director-General to lead the institution since its establishment in 1962. She succeeded Professor Isa Hayatu Chiroma, whose eight-year tenure concluded on January 9, 2026.

As Director-General, Odusote will be responsible for the institution’s overall academic leadership, administrative management, and strategic direction across all campuses. She will also serve as the primary liaison between the school, the Council of Legal Education, the Body of Benchers, and the Nigerian Bar Association. 

6. Oreoluwa Atinmo, Managing Director of Fanmilk

Oreoluwa Mobolaji Atinmo‘s appointment as the Managing Director of FanMilk Nigeria became effective on April 1st, 2026.

She is the first female Managing Director in the history of the company, succeeding Kayode Adebiyi. 

Before joining FanMilk, Atinmo served as Marketing Director at GB Foods Nigeria, where she led an ambitious transformation of the company’s marketing operations and brand portfolio.

Her leadership credentials extend well beyond GB Foods. During her eight year career at Heineken Nigeria, she managed several premium international brands, including Tiger, Stella and Strongbow, while leading high profile product launches, integrated marketing campaigns and innovation programmes that strengthened the brewer’s premium portfolio. 

7. Wola Joseph-Condotti, CEO of Eko Disco

Wola Joseph-Condotti was appointed as the interim Chief Executive Officer of Eko Electricity Distribution Company (Eko Disco) on January 13, 2026.

Her appointment followed the resignation of the former CEO, Rekhiat Momoh, and came shortly after TransGrid Consortium acquired a majority stake in the company. 

She previously served as Group Managing Director/CEO of West Power & Gas Limited (WPG). Wola is also a founding member of the Women in Energy Network (WIEN) and was recognised as a thought leader in the energy sector, with a strong focus on renewable energy, sustainability, and carbon markets. 

8. Kemi Omotosho, CEO of Multichoice

MultiChoice Nigeria announced the appointment of Kemi Omotosho as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) on January 13, 2026, with the appointment officially taking effect in January 2026, succeeding John Ugbe, who retired after nearly 15 years in the role. 

Omotosho brought more than two decades of experience spanning media, telecommunications and digital services across Nigeria and sub-Saharan Africa. She has held several senior roles within the MultiChoice Group, including Executive Head of Customer Value Management in Nigeria and Group Executive Head of Customer Value Management for the Rest of Africa. 

Most recently, she served as Regional Director for Southern Africa, where she had overall responsibility for operations across seven countries.

9. Ifeyinwa Osime, Chairman of Access Bank

Ifeyinwa Osime was appointed as Board Chairman of Access Bank effective January 28, 2026, with the public announcement made on February 2, 2026.

She succeeded Paul Usoro, SAN, who retired on January 29, 2026, after completing his regulatory tenure limit. She has served on the bank’s board as an Independent Non-Executive Director since November 2019.

She has previously served on several other boards and is a former Board Chair of Coronation Life Insurance Company Ltd. She is also a member of the Board of Ebudo Trust Limited, bringing additional experience in trust, fiduciary, and institutional governance. 

10. Amaka Onwughalu, Board Chair of Fidelity Bank 

Amaka Onwughalu was appointed as the new Chairman of the Board of Directors of Fidelity Bank, effective January 1, 2026. Her appointment followed the successful completion of the tenure of the immediate past chairman, Mustafa Chike-Obi, on December 31, 2025. 

She is currently the Chief Executive Officer of Blueshield Financial Services Limited. Before this, she served in executive management positions in different institutions and was the former Group Managing Director of legacy Mainstreet Bank Limited, where she led the successful execution of a seamless integration of the bank with Skye Bank Plc, where she served as Deputy Managing Director until her retirement in July 2016. 

Read also: MultiChoice Nigeria appoints Kemi Omotosho as CEO, effective from Jan 2026