Mr. Nebolisa O. Arah (Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Afribank Nigeria Plc) is a banker with professional experience of close to 30 years. He began his professional career in 1977 with Unilever Nigeria Plc (formerly Lever Brothers Nigeria Plc) as a management trainee.
He joined the former International Merchant Bank (Nigeria) Ltd in 1981 as a credit analyst responsible for budgeting, financial control, strategic planning, performance management and profitability indices. He later headed the special products; assets based finance & export finance departments of the bank.
Given his impressive performance at the former International Merchant Bank (Nigeria) Ltd, he was appointed the pioneer Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Fidelity Bank. He managed the Bank from 1988 to 2003. Mr. Arah’s fifteen years of leadership at Fidelity Bank left the Bank’s fundamental indices on the upswing.
As the helmsman at Fidelity Bank, Mr. Arah demonstrated exemplary leadership and management sagacity which accounted for the stupendous growth recorded by the Bank under him and the frontline position Fidelity Bank has attained today. The Bank did not only post superior returns but it was also placed on the path of sustainable growth.
Upon his voluntary retirement in 2003 after a successful career, he worked as the project co-ordinator (major architect) of the FCB Project between 2004 and 2005. He was later appointed, member of the Universal Trust Bank Plc consolidation committee in 2005 where he served till 2007. Between 2006/2007, Mr. Arah was a consultant/financial adviser to Cornerstone Insurance Plc working with appointed Issuing Houses with the objective of realizing its capitalization and set objectives for the Company.
Reputed for high integrity and sound strategy, Mr Arah has served as a member of several professional bodies such as the Bankers committee, Nigerian Economic Summit Group, Public Sector Group and also a Mentor of the Lagos Business School Alumni Association. He has also served at the Board level of different organizations which include Director at Universal Trust Bank Plc, Allstates Trust Bank Plc; Financial Derivates Company Ltd; and as a Chairman at Fidelity Union Securities Ltd.
He is also a member of non-profit institutions. He is currently a Member of the Governing Council of Bowen University in Iwo, Osun State and a Director, Lagoon Secondary School among others.
Nebo holds a B.Sc in Agricultural Economics from University of Ibadan; M.Sc Agricultural Economics and Masters of Business Administrations both from Ohio State University Graduate School, Columbus, Ohio, U.S.A. He has attended different management courses and seminars both locally and internationally.
Prior to joining Afribank Nigeria Plc, he served as the Chief Executive Officer of Agate Tower Limited; an Investment /Financial Advisory Firm, the position he occupied since 2004. Being a man driven by vision and values, Mr Arah is adequately equipped and energised to take Afribank to greater heights.
