Zenith Bank Plc has announced the appointment of Mr. Kennedy Onuwa Okwudili as Executive Director of the bank, effective May 1, 2026, in a disclosure filed with the Nigerian Exchange.
The disclosure, signed by Michael Otu, Company Secretary, stated that the appointment is part of the bank’s succession plan to groom internal leaders to strengthen Executive Management.
The company noted that Mr. Okwudili has over 25 years of relevant experience across credit and marketing, treasury, compliance, and operational functions within the bank.
His qualifications include a Bachelor of Science in Accounting, an MBA, and fellowships with the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria and the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria.
Brief profile of Mr. Kennedy Okwudil
Mr. Okwudili graduated with a Bachelor of Science (Honors) in Accounting from University of Maiduguri in 1998. He later obtained a Master of Business Administration from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and a Master of Science in Accounting from Veritas University Abuja, in 2021.
He has extensive banking experience and has served in multiple zones and departments across the bank.
Mr. Okwudili is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (2013), a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (2024), and an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Taxation (2026).
He has attended executive education programs both locally and internationally, including the Senior Leadership Development Program at Lagos Business School, the Corporate Directorship Program at Harvard Business School, and the Advanced Management Program at Oxford SAID Business School.
He currently serves as President of the Catholic Bankers Association of Nigeria (CBN).
Get up to speed
In the nine months ended September 30, 2025, Zenith Bank reported a pre-tax profit of N917.4 billion, supported by interest income, fees, and balance sheet changes.
Interest income increased 40.8% to N2.74 trillion from N1.94 trillion in the same period of 2024, largely reflecting higher earnings from loans and investment securities.
- Interest on loans and advances amounted to N1.3 trillion, while investment securities, including treasury bills (N400.3 billion), contributed N740.5 billion.
Fees and commission income, part of non-interest income, grew 10.45% to N299 billion, with account maintenance fees of N64 billion and electronic product fees of N59 billion.
Total assets rose 2.6% to N31.18 trillion, reflecting higher cash balances of N6.85 trillion, loans of N9.37 trillion, and growth in investment securities and treasury bills.
What you should know
Zenith Bank has yet to release its audited statements for the 2025 financial year, which are expected to reflect the strong performance recorded during the nine-month period.
On the Nigerian Exchange, company shares are up more than 73% year-to-date in 2026, with a market volume exceeding two billion shares.
In March 2026, the company’s shares surpassed the N100 mark for the first time, and as of premarket trading on March 24, 2026, they are priced at N107.5.
