NAHCO Appoints Esan, Omodayo-Owotuga Into Its Board
The Nigerian Aviation Handling Company PLC (nahco Aviance) has announced the appointment of two new directors to its board. The newly-appointed non-executive directors are Mr. Wolemi Esan, SAN and Dr. Julius B. Omodayo-Owotuga.
The appointments came on the heels of the retirement of two long-serving directors of the Company: Mr. Mr. Akinwumi Godson Fanimokun, Independent Non-Executive Director/Vice Chairman and Mr. Taofeeq Oluwatoyin Salman, a Non-Executive Director.
In a notice to the Nigeria Stock Exchange (NGX) signed by the Company Secretary, Mr. Bello A Abdullahi, the Company said their retirement from the Board of Directors is effective from June 15th 2026 and June 30th 2026 respectively after serving on the Board for eight years.
“Mr. Akinwumi G. Fanimokun still holds substantial shares in the Company even after his retirement as a result of age,” the statement added.
New Director, Mr. Wolemi Esan (SAN), is a distinguished legal practitioner and Senior Advocate of Nigeria with over two decades of experience representing leading corporates, financial institutions and government agencies in complex commercial disputes, high-stakes litigation and domestic and international arbitration. He also advises clients on corporate governance, energy and infrastructure projects, capital markets, mergers and acquisitions, and regulatory matters.
Mr. Esan has advised on several landmark logistics, transportation and infrastructure projects, including rail, port and airport concession transactions. He is also a trusted adviser to boards and executive management on corporate governance, regulatory compliance, enterprise risk and strategic corporate transactions. Mr. Esan is consistently ranked by leading international legal directories, including Chambers Global, IFLR1000 and Legal 500, for his expertise in commercial law.
He holds an LL.Bfrom Lagos State University, a BL from the Nigerian Law School, an LL.M from University College London as a Jeremy Bentham Scholar, and an MBA from Durham University.
Dr. Julius B. Omodayo-Owotuga is a highly accomplished finance and governance expert with extensive leadership experience in Nigeria’s power, oil, and financial sectors. He holds CFA Charter, fellowships with ICAN, CITN, and the Institute of Credit Administration. He is also a member of the Institute of Directors of Nigeria. He holds a Doctorate in Business Administration from Oxford Saïd Business School, Master in Business Administration (distinction)from IE Business School and B.Sc. in Accounting from the University of Lagos. He also attended Geneva Business School and other executive programs. He was the Deputy CEO of Geregu Power Plc, Nigeria’s first listed power generation company, leading its transformation from public sector to market-driven enterprise, capital raising, governance strengthening, and operational efficiencies.
He was the Group Executive Director of Forte Oil (now Ardova Plc), transforming it from loss-making to profitable. He also worked at Africa Finance Corporation as ALM Specialist, managing assets, liabilities, and funding. He held senior roles at Standard Chartered Bank and KPMG, gaining expertise in financial reporting, IFRS, audit, and risk management. He managed relationships with multilateral institutions and supported infrastructure finance.
He serves on the Board of Quant Investment Managers, and others. He is presently an Executive Director of First Bank of Nigeria Limited.
The Company in the same statement announced the appointment of Mr. Tajudeen Omoshola Shobayo (FCA), an existing Non-Executive Director, as the Vice Chairman to replace the retired Vice Chairman with effect from 1st July 2026.
