President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed Mrs Arinola Ogbara-Banjoko as a Non-Executive Director on the board of the Nigeria Commodity Exchange. The announcement was made in a statement issued on Thursday, May 7, by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
According to the statement, Ogbara-Banjoko replaces Mrs Bamidele Hussein as the Lagos State representative on the board. The appointment falls under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment.
Presidency Highlights Expectations from Appointee
The presidency expressed confidence in the new appointee’s capacity to contribute to the exchange’s growth. The statement noted that the President expects Ogbara-Banjoko to deploy her experience and professionalism in strengthening commodity trading and expanding opportunities within the sector.
“The President expects the new appointee to bring her wealth of experience and professionalism to bear in strengthening the exchange’s operations and supporting the Federal Government’s drive to deepen commodity trading, expand market access for farmers and investors, and stimulate economic growth,” the statement read.
Former Lagos Mobile Court Coordinator
Before this appointment, Ogbara-Banjoko served as Coordinator of the Lagos State Special Offences (Mobile) Court. In that role, she supervised the prosecution of traffic offenders and coordinated the auctioning of forfeited vehicles in partnership with the Lagos State task force and Ministry of Justice.
Appointment Fills Lagos State Slot
Her appointment fills the Lagos State position on the board recently constituted by President Tinubu in April. The board is chaired by Dalhatu Abubakar and includes other non-executive directors appointed to oversee the operations of the Nigeria Commodity Exchange.
The Nigeria Commodity Exchange, formerly known as the Abuja Securities and Commodity Exchange, serves as a central trading platform for agricultural and other commodities in the country. The federal government has repeatedly described the exchange as a strategic tool for improving market access, boosting agricultural investment and strengthening Nigeria’s commodity value chain.
Tinubu Reassigns Fani-Kayode
In a related development, President Tinubu approved the posting of Femi Fani-Kayode, a former aviation minister, as Nigeria's Ambassador to South Africa. Fani-Kayode was initially posted to Germany but has now been reassigned to South Africa.
