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The Alternative Bank Limited (Alt Bank), the non-interest banking subsidiary of Sterling Financial Holdings Company Plc, has appointed Gul Khan as its Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, following approval by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
Khan succeeds Hassan Yusuf, the bank’s founding Managing Director.
The appointment was announced in a press statement issued by Alt Bank and seen by Nairametrics.
The bank said the leadership change comes as it continues to strengthen its operations, expand its reach and develop financial solutions for consumers and businesses.
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Alt Bank appoints Gul Khan as CEO
Muhtar Bakare, Chairman of Alternative Bank, said the board was confident that Khan would build on the bank’s existing foundation and broaden its reach.
Bakare highlighted Khan’s experience in non-interest banking and financial services, expressing confidence in his ability to lead the bank through its next phase of growth.
- “Gul’s expertise in non-interest banking and his leadership experience across African financial services position him well to lead Alternative Bank through its next phase of growth.
- “The Board is confident in his ability to build on the Bank’s foundations and broaden its reach, while maintaining the strong governance and commercial discipline essential to long-term success,” he said.
Bakare added that Khan would work with the board and management team to guide the bank’s next phase of growth.
Outlining his priorities, Khan said he aimed to make Alt Bank the preferred choice for consumers and businesses in Nigeria.
- “The opportunity is to make Alt Bank the preferred choice for consumers and businesses in Nigeria.
- “That means understanding what customers need, whether acquiring productive assets or growing their businesses, and providing solutions that are relevant and they can use with ease.
- “I look forward to working with colleagues to build on Alt Bank’s progress and earn our customers’ continued trust,” he said.
Gul Khan brings 25 years’ experience
Khan has more than 25 years of international financial services experience, having worked across Europe, America, Asia, the Middle East and Africa.
- Most recently, he served as Chief Executive Officer and Board Director of I&M Bank Kenya. He also held the position of Group Head of Products at Airtel Money, the fintech business operating across 14 African markets.
- His previous roles include Global Head of Retail Banking and Wealth Management at HSBC Amanah, the group’s non-interest banking business.
- His career also includes executive leadership positions at banks in the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Qatar, giving him experience across established banking institutions and technology-led financial services businesses.
Meanwhile, The Alternative Bank, a subsidiary of Sterling Financial Holdings Company Plc, met the CBN’s revised minimum capital requirement for national non-interest banks well ahead of the regulatory deadline.
The bank has also completed its migration to MIZAN, a core banking platform designed for non-interest financial institutions. Its strengthened capital base and investment in technology support its capacity to finance business growth and develop products that meet customers’ needs.
What you should know
In February 2026, Sterling Financial Holdings Company Plc confirmed that its core banking subsidiaries, Sterling Bank and The Alternative Bank, had been fully recapitalised in line with the CBN’s revised minimum capital requirements.
The group said its capital-raising programme was largely completed between December 2024 and October 2025, placing it ahead of the March 2026 industry deadline.
Group Chief Executive Officer, Yemi Odubiyi, said the recapitalisation had strengthened the group’s capacity to support economic growth while preserving financial stability.
He noted that fully capitalising both Sterling Bank and The Alternative Bank reinforced the group’s dual-bank model, enabling it to serve both conventional and non-interest banking segments.
