Within Nigeria’s largest listed and privately held companies, the company secretary functions as the institutional memory of the organization.

Their role has evolved beyond documentation and minute-taking.

Today, they serve as strategic advisers to boards, ensuring that decisions are not only profitable but defensible, ethical, and aligned with regulatory expectations.

Behind every major resolution, merger, compliance filing, or board transition lies a trail of meticulous coordination led by these individuals.

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The company secretaries of the top ten listed companies by market capitalisation operate at the core of institutions that collectively account for N86.95 trillion in market capitalisation.

That figure is not just a measure of corporate size, it is a reflection of the weight they carry daily. Every decision they guide, every process they validate all tie directly to companies that move markets and shape investor confidence.

Reaching this level requires more than technical expertise. As Nigerian companies expand across borders and attract global investors, governance standards are under sharper scrutiny. This shift is elevating the role of the company secretary from a support function to a central pillar of corporate leadership.

Here are the company secretaries of Nigeria’s largest firms, by market CAP in Q1 2026.

Adewunmi Alode – Legal Director and Company Secretary, Lafarge Africa Plc 

  • Market Cap: N3.54 trillion 

Adewunmi Alode operates at the core of governance in one of Nigeria’s leading industrial companies, Lafarge Africa Plc, which had a market capitalisation of N3.54 trillion as of Q1 2026.

In her role as Legal Director and Company Secretary, she brings over 13 years of hands-on experience spanning company secretariat functions, legal advisory, project management, and litigation oversight.

She is a qualified lawyer, called to the Nigerian Bar after training at the Nigerian Law School, Abuja, and is also a Chartered Secretary. She is currently pursuing an MBA at Business School Netherlands.

She began her career at an indigenous law firm in Lagos and later worked as Company Secretary at Unicorn Holdings. She joined Lafarge Cement WAPCO Nigeria in 2008 as a Legal Officer.

Within the organisation, she has held roles including Legal Manager, Legal Business Partner, Compliance Business Partner, and Senior Legal Counsel for contracts. She was appointed General Counsel and Company Secretary in 2019.

Michael Otu – Company Secretary/Legal Adviser, Zenith Bank Plc

  • Market CAP: N3.93 trillion 

Michael Osilama Otu is the Company Secretary/Legal Adviser of Zenith Bank Plc. The bank recorded a market capitalisation of N3.93 trillion as of Q1 2026.

Otu joined Zenith Bank on July 14, 1997 and became the Company Secretary/Legal Adviser in February, 2002.

He graduated with a Second Class Honours (Upper Division) in Law in 1992 from Ambrose Alli University (then Bendel State University) and attended the Nigerian Law School, Lagos, between 1992 and 1993, where he was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1993. He later obtained an LL.M from University of Lagos in 1996.

During his academic and law school years, he received several awards, including Best Graduating Student in Banking, Insurance and Negotiable Instruments, as well as multiple prizes in legal drafting and conveyancing.

He began his professional career in 1993 as a Legal Officer at Crystal Bank of Africa Limited (now UBA Plc). He also served as General Counsel and Deputy Head of Chambers at Vincent Omegba & Co.

He is a member of the Nigerian Bar Association, Nigerian Society of International Law, and the International Bar Association. He is also a Senior Honourary Member of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, and serves as a resource person for the Financial Institutions Training Centre and the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria.

Erhi Obebeduo – Group General Counsel and Company Secretary, Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc 

  • Market CAP: N4.12 trillion 

Erhi Obebeduo is the Group General Counsel and Company Secretary at Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc, which had a market capitalisation of N4.12 trillion as of Q1 2026.

He was appointed Company Secretary of GTBank in January 2017 and currently oversees legal and secretarial functions across the group and its subsidiaries.

He holds a Bachelor’s degree from University of Benin and a Master’s degree in International Commercial Law from University of Nottingham. He is a Solicitor with over two decades of post-call experience and is also a Chartered Mediator and Conciliator.

He began his career within the legal groups of several commercial banks before joining GTBank in 2003. Over the years, his role has expanded alongside the group’s growth, covering both banking and non-banking subsidiaries across multiple jurisdictions.

Obebeduo is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators and a member of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria. He attended executive programmes at institutions including Cranfield Business School, Euromoney Learning Solutions, and the University of Michigan Ross School of Business.

He has led and supported several major transactions, including Eurobond issuances, Global Depositary Receipts listed on the London Stock Exchange, and cross-border expansion initiatives.

Edith Onwuchekwa – Director, Legal and Company Secretariat,Seplat Energy Plc 

  • Market CAP: N5.46 trillion 

Edith Onwuchekwa is the Director, Legal and Company Secretariat at Seplat Energy Plc, which had a market capitalisation of N5.46 trillion as of Q1 2026.

She is responsible for the legal, governance, compliance, and company secretarial functions of the group across Nigeria and the United Kingdom.

She joined Seplat in 2019 as Company Secretary and Chief Governance Compliance Officer and was appointed Director, Legal and Company Secretariat in 2021. She has over 24 years of experience in the legal profession, advising boards and executive teams, and overseeing legal operations in the energy and cement sectors.

Before joining Seplat, she held senior roles at Lafarge Africa Plc, including General Counsel/Legal Director, Company Secretary/Legal Adviser at Lafarge WAPCO, and Country General Counsel/Public Affairs Director for Lafarge’s Nigerian operations.

She holds law degrees and professional certifications from Nigeria and the United Kingdom and is a Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Chartered Arbitrators, as well as an Associate of the Chartered Governance Institute (UK) and the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria.

Titilola Omisore – Company Secretary/Group General Counsel,Aradel Holdings Plc 

  • Market CAP: N5.47 trillion 

Titilola Omisore is the Company Secretary and Group General Counsel at Aradel Holdings Plc, which had a market capitalisation of N5.47 trillion as of Q1 2026.

She has been with the company since 2001 and plays a central role in its legal and governance structure.

She holds a BA in Political Science from the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana, and an LLB from the University of Buckingham. She was called to the Nigerian Bar after obtaining her BL from the Nigerian Law School. She later earned a Master’s degree in Tax Law from King’s College, University of London.

She began her career at Strachan Partners in 1993, where she later became a Partner before joining Aradel Holdings. Her experience spans corporate law, tax, and the oil and gas sector.

With over two decades of experience, she has been part of key transactions across the company, including acquisitions, joint venture partnerships, and equity raising. She also sits on the board of the company’s subsidiaries and its affiliate, ND Western Limited.

Simon O’Hara – Group Company Secretary, Airtel Africa Plc

  • Market CAP: N9.38 trillion 

Simon O’Hara is the Group Company Secretary at Airtel Africa Plc. The leading telecommunications services provider had a market capitalisation of N9.38 trillion as of Q1 2026.

He joined the company in March 2019 as part of the senior leadership team that delivered the group’s IPO, including its premium listing on the London Stock Exchange and secondary listing on the Nigerian Exchange.

He is responsible for governance across the group, advising the board, executive directors, and senior management, and overseeing company secretarial and board processes. He also established the company’s London office.

He led the development and implementation of the group’s sustainability strategy, launched in 2021, and played a key role in delivering its first sustainability report in 2022. He also provided interim leadership for the sustainability function between 2022 and 2023.

Before joining Airtel Africa, he served as Group Company Secretary at Just Group Plc and Partnership Assurance Group Plc, and earlier held senior legal and company secretarial roles at Alent Plc and Cookson Group Plc, where he had global responsibility across multiple markets.

He began his career at Lloyd’s and Eagle Star, working across legal, regulatory, and corporate functions. He holds an LLB from the University of Manchester and completed his legal training at the College of Law, Guildford, as well as executive education at London Business School.

Hauwa Garba-Satomi – Company Secretary/Chief Legal Officer, BUA Cement Plc

  • Market CAP: N11.06 trillion

Hauwa Garba-Satomi is the Company Secretary and Chief Legal Officer at BUA Cement Plc. The company had a market capitalisation of N11.06 trillion as of Q1 2026.

She was appointed Deputy Company Secretary in January 2021, became Acting Company Secretary in November 2022, and her appointment was confirmed in February 2023.

She began her career at Ashemi & Co. and later joined Manga Chambers, where she rose to the position of Associate Partner. She joined BUA International Limited in 2016 as Deputy Legal Manager and progressed to Legal Manager, supporting the Group Chief Legal Officer and Company Secretary.

Within the group, she also served as Company Secretary for BUA International Limited and BUA Ports and Terminals Limited. She played a key role in the merger of Cement Company of Northern Nigeria Plc and Obu Cement Company Plc, which led to the formation of BUA Cement Plc.

She was also involved in the merger of five subsidiaries within the group, the registration of a Free Zone entity, and the sustainability documentation that supported the company’s listing on the Nigerian Exchange.

She is a member of several professional bodies and has attended various training programmes and courses.

Edward Imoedemhe – Company Secretary/General Counsel, Dangote Cement Plc 

  • Market CAP: N13.67 trillion 

Edward Imoedemhe is the Company Secretary and General Counsel at Dangote Cement Plc, which had a market capitalisation of N13.67 trillion as of Q1 2026.

He was appointed Acting Company Secretary/General Counsel in November 2022 and was confirmed in the substantive role effective July 1, 2025.

He joined the Dangote Group in May 2013 and became Deputy Company Secretary of Dangote Cement Plc in June 2018, a position he held until his elevation. His experience within the group spans regulatory compliance, corporate governance, company secretarial services, contracts management, and dispute resolution.

He has over 24 years of post-call experience and holds an LL.B from the University of Benin and a Master’s degree in Maritime and Commercial Law from Lagos State University. He is a member of the Nigerian Institute of Chartered Arbitrators, the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria, and the Society for Corporate Governance Nigeria.

Before joining Dangote Cement, he served as Head, Legal and Secretariat (Insurance/Investor Relations) at Intercellular Nigeria Plc from 2006 to 2013 and also worked as Company Secretary/Legal Adviser in the oil and gas and shipping sector.

He also serves across other entities within the group, providing legal and governance advisory to executive management and boards.

Oluseye Olufunmilayo Alayande – Company Secretary/Chief Legal Officer, BUA Foods Plc 

  • Market CAP: N14.36 trillion 

Oluseye Olufunmilayo Alayande is the Company Secretary and Chief Legal Officer at BUA Foods Plc, which had a market capitalisation of N14.36 trillion as of Q1 2026.

She has over 20 years of experience across private legal practice, oil and gas, energy, power, and the FMCG sector.

She began her legal career in 2002 at Chief Rotimi Williams Chambers and later worked at Adepetun, Caxton Martins, Agbor and Segun. She moved into corporate practice in 2007 as Legal Manager at Sahara Group, where she was involved in major energy transactions, including the acquisition of the Egbin Power Plant.

She joined Afren Nigeria in 2010 and rose to Deputy General Counsel, handling transactions across West Africa, East Africa, and Kurdistan. Her work covered asset acquisitions and divestments, production sharing contracts, crude sales agreements, and project finance negotiations.

Between 2016 and 2020, she served as Chief Legal Officer and Company Secretary at Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company Plc, overseeing board matters and legal advisory across the business. She later joined BUA International, where she currently manages corporate and commercial transactions across the group.

She holds an LL.B from the University of Jos and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 2000. She is a member of the Nigerian Bar Association, Institute of Chartered Arbitrators (UK), Association of International Petroleum Negotiators, and an Associate of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria. She is also currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Peace and Conflict Studies at the University of Ibadan.

Uto Ukpanah – Company Secretary, MTN Nigeria Communications Plc 

Market CAP: N15.96 trillion 

Uto Ukpanah is the Company Secretary at MTN Nigeria Communications Plc. The company had a market capitalisation of N15.96 trillion as of Q1 2026.

She joined MTN Nigeria as the Company Secretary in 2005 and has held this position for over 16 years. Her responsibilities cover governance advisory, ethics management, and oversight of the company secretariat across the group and its subsidiaries.

She holds an LL.B from the University of Cross River State (now University of Uyo) and was called to the Bar after attending the Nigerian Law School. She is a member of the Nigerian Bar Association, International Bar Association, and the Ethics & Compliance Officers Association (USA), and is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria.

Beyond her role at MTN, she serves as President and Chairman of the Governing Council of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria and is also Chairman of the United Nations Global Compact Nigeria Network. She is a member of the Governing Board of the Corporate Secretaries International Association.

Earlier in her career, she worked at United Bank for Africa Plc and contributed to the development of Nigeria’s corporate governance codes through roles with the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Bankers’ Committee.