Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc announced the appointment of Mr. Arnold Ekpe as the new Chairman of its Board, effective 16th June 2025. Mr. Ekpe’s appointment follows the retirement of Alhaji Aliko Dangote (GCON) as Chairman on the same date, marking the end of nearly two decades of distinguished service.

          Mr Arnold Ekpe

Commenting on the transition, the Board stated that Mr. Ekpe’s appointment came after a thorough selection process, ensuring that a qualified leader continues from where billionaire Aliko Dangote left off.

The Board expressed confidence in Mr. Ekpe’s ability to lead the company into its next phase of growth, citing his extensive experience in both engineering and finance.

Mr. Arnold Ekpe’s profile.

                Mr. Arnold Ekpe

Mr. Arnold Ekpe is a seasoned finance professional with over 30 years of experience in the banking and corporate sectors, including leadership roles across several prominent institutions.

Born in August 1953 in Nigeria, Mr. Ekpe attended King’s College, Lagos, graduating in 1972 before traveling abroad for his tertiary education.

He studied at the University of Manchester, where he earned a First Class Honours degree in Engineering (1973–1976) as a Shell Scholar. He later obtained an MBA from Manchester Business School (1977–1979).

Mr. Ekpe began his career in 1977 with Schlumberger SA as a Wireline Logging Engineer. In 1979, he joined Alcan Aluminium Nigeria as Executive Assistant to the CEO, with responsibilities in purchasing and labour relations.

He entered the banking industry in the early 1980s, beginning at International Merchant Bank (an affiliate of First Chicago) as Head of Strategy. He went on to serve as Operations Manager and later General Manager of IMB Securities, the bank’s investment banking and stockbroking arm, from 1980 to 1986.

From 1986 to 1987, he was General Manager and Head of Corporate Finance at City Securities Limited, a subsidiary of First City Monument Bank. He subsequently served as General Manager of Nigeria International Bank (Citibank Nigeria) from 1987 to 1990.

Mr. Ekpe later became Group CEO of Ecobank Transnational Incorporated, a role he held until his retirement in 2012.

He has served as an Independent Non‑Executive Director at Dangote Sugar Refinery since 2024, following his appointment by the company’s Board.