Board of Trustees, Centre for Financial Journalism
ERNEST C. EBI, MFR, FCIB
CHAIRMAN
For over 30 years Mr. Ernest Chukwudi Ebi has been leading business transformation initiatives at various enterprises within and outside the financial services space, and he is recognised as a leading authority in turn-around strategy and execution. Mr. Ebi is widely acknowledged as a reformer and leader with a track record of excellence in delivery.
Professional Career
Ebi’s professional experience and expertise spans the full spectrum of executive leadership, financial goals delivery, business management, human resources capacity building, and general business performance management.
Ebi commenced his working career in the United States of America as an Accounts Technician with the National Association of Counties, Washington, DC. in 1976 and subsequently worked at the Community Federal Savings & Loans Association Washington, DC. where he served as the Assistant Vice-President.
In 1981 he returned to Nigeria and joined the International Merchant Bank Plc, serving in various capacities and also as part of executive management. In a very distinguished career within the financial services industry, Mr. Ebi went on to serve in notable banking sector organizations like:
- African Continental Bank – Executive Director, Corporate Banking (1993-1995)
- New Nigerian Bank – Managing Director/Chief Executive (1995-1998)
- Diamond Bank Plc – Deputy Managing Director & COO (1998-1999)
In June 1999, Ebi was appointed Deputy Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria where his tenure crossed two key directorates of the apex bank over a 10-year period, thus:
- Central Bank of Nigeria – Deputy Governor, Policy (1999-2004)
- Central Bank of Nigeria – Deputy Governor, Corporate Services (2004-2009)
During this period he maintained oversight functions over Nigeria’s International Economic Relations, Trade Financing activities and formulation of policies & regulations for the effective management of the nation’s economy. He served as the Chairman of Deputies of the Group of Twenty-four countries (G24 countries) in the Bretton Woods.
In recognition of his sound professional background and his track record of delivering on expectation, the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria awarded him the prestigious Fellowship of the Institute (FCIB). Also in recognition of his meritorious service to the nation, the Federal Government in 2008, conferred on him the National Honour of Member of the Federal Republic (MFR).
Education
Ernest attended Holy Ghost College, Owerri, between 1970 and 1972. He thereafter proceeded to Howard University, Washington DC, USA where he graduated with a Bachelor of Business degree in Marketing in 1978. He also obtained an MBA from the same university in 1979 as a Howard scholar.
Ernest has attended management and leadership development programmes at IMD Switzerland, Harvard, Oxford-Said Business School, amongst others.
Current Board & Leadership Positions
Ebi, as an internationally respected management and leadership expert is currently active in providing board leadership and direction for numerous organizations including:-
- UNIC Insurance Plc – Chairman of the Board
- Imo State Investment Promotion Board – Chairman of the Board
- AIICO Pension Managers – Member of the Board
- HMCN Medical Center – Chairman of the Board
- Sheba Exploration and Production – Member of the Board
- Dangote Cement Plc – Member of the Board
- Agrited Nigeria Limited
- Seplat Energy – Member of the Board
- Julius Berger Nigeria Plc – Member of the Board
Prof. AKPAN HOGAN EKPO
Akpan Hogan Ekpo was born in Lagos, Nigeria, on June 26, 1954. After his primary and secondary school education in Lagos, he proceeded to the USA for further studies. Professor Akpan H. Ekpo graduated from Howard University, Washington, DC, USA, in 1976 with a Bachelor’s degree (Cum laude – with honors) in Economics and obtained a Masters in Economics from the same University. He was in the Dean’s List of the University throughout his undergraduate studies and on full scholarship based on his academic performance. In 1975, as the best and honors student, he won the American Economic Association Fellowship to study briefly at Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA.
In 1980 and 1983 he obtained the MA and PhD degrees in Economics from the University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. His areas of interest include Economic Theory (Microeconomics and Macroeconomics), Public Sector and Quantitative Methods. He has attended several continuing and executive education programmes at the World Bank Institute, Harvard University and the University of Oxford, UK.
Akpan Hogan Ekpo has lectured in several universities in the USA, Africa and Nigeria. As a lecturer in the University of Calabar, he was commended for excellence in research and publications in 1987 by the authorities of the University. He was appointed Visiting Professor of Economics by the University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe in 1989.
Professor Ekpo has advised and held several government appointments in Nigeria, including:
- Adviser to the Calabar Municipal Government and Managing Director of its Investment Company
- Chairman, Akwa Ibom State Investment Council (1999–2007)
- Chairman, Ministerial Advisory Committee, Federal Ministry of Finance (1994–1998)
- Board Member, Utilities Charges Commission (2005–2007)
- Non-Executive Director, Central Bank of Nigeria (2005–2009)
- Member, Central Bank of Nigeria Monetary Policy Committee (2005–2009)
- Member, National Economic Management Team (2008–2009)
- Technical Adviser, Vision 2010
- Member, Steering Committee of Vision 2020
He has received several national and international honors, including:
- National Productivity Merit Award (2001)
- Dr. Kwame Nkrumah Africa Leadership Award (2003)
Professor Ekpo has had an outstanding academic career, serving in several leadership positions:
- Head of Department, Dean of Faculty, and Deputy Vice-Chancellor
- Visiting Scholar to the World Bank and IMF (1996–1998)
- Vice-Chancellor, University of Uyo (2000–2005)
- Pioneer Vice-Chancellor, Akwa Ibom State University of Science and Technology (2005–2007)
He was commended by the National Universities Commission (NUC) for his performance as Vice-Chancellor. He was Editor of the Nigerian Journal of Economic and Social Studies (1996–2003), President of the Nigerian Economic Society (2007–2009), and was conferred with its fellowship in 2012. He is a member of various professional associations including:
- Nigerian Economic Society (Life Member)
- Nigerian Statistical Association
- American Economic Association
- Royal Economic Society
- Institute of Public Finance (Germany)
- African Finance and Economic Association (USA)
- National Economic Association (USA)
He has attended over 160 national and international conferences and presented papers at most of them.
Board and Other Positions
Professor Ekpo has served on several boards:
- Board Member, Vmobile (now Airtel)
- African Heritage Institution, Enugu, Nigeria
- African Population Health and Research Centre, Nairobi, Kenya
- Bamanga Tukur Centre for International Trade, Port Harcourt, Nigeria
- Clement Isong Foundation, Nigeria
Publications and Consulting
He has published over 200 articles in refereed journals, books, and other scholarly outlets, and has written five books. He serves on editorial boards of several scholarly journals and is a regular columnist with Tell Magazine. He has consulted for organizations such as:
- National Planning Commission
- National Manpower Board
- African Capacity Building Foundation
- World Bank
- African Economic Research Consortium
- United Nations Economic Commission for Africa
- European Commission
- Forum of Federations (Canada)
Current Role
Professor Akpan H. Ekpo is the former Director General of the West African Institute for Financial and Economic Management, a regional body owned by the central banks of The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone, with headquarters in Lagos.
In 2024, he was made the first Emeritus Professor of the University of Uyo.
Dr. UJU OGUBUNKA
Dr. ‘Uju M. Ogubunka, a Chartered Banker, was in full-time banking practice for twenty-three years before venturing into consulting, research, training, mediation, and public speaking. He later joined the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) as Director, Consultancy, Training and Research in 1999. In 2006, he was appointed the Registrar/Chief Executive of the CIBN. He retired from the CIBN in 2014 after a very eventful tenure at the Institute.
He currently lectures at the University of Lagos, Akoka, Nigeria, as a Fellow in the Department of Finance, Faculty of Business Administration. He is also the President of the Bank Customers Association of Nigeria (BCAN).
Dr. Ogubunka holds an M.Sc. in Banking and Finance from the University of Ibadan and a Ph.D. in Banking and Finance from the Federal University of Technology, Owerri. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) and an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Bankers, London. He is also a member of the Body of Neutrals, Abuja Multi-Door Court House. Additionally, he was a two-time Chairman of the Alliance of African Institutes of Bankers (AAIOB).
Dr. Ogubunka has authored, co-authored, and edited many published papers and books including Elements of Privatization in Nigeria and Walking Ahead of Bank Distress.
RAY ECHEBIRI, PhD
CEO
Ray Echebiri, a consummate financial journalist, development economist, researcher, and author, was the founding Editor-in-Chief/CEO of BusinessWorld newspaper. Before founding BusinessWorld, he worked with several reputable Nigerian newspapers and magazines, holding top editorial positions such as Assistant Editor, Business Editor, Deputy Editor, Member Editorial Board, and Editor.
Echebiri began his journalism career at the Newbreed Organisation, publishers of Newbreed and The President magazines. He later joined BusinessInEcowas, a bilingual magazine focused on West African economic and political developments. He then moved to Champion Newspapers, rising from Staff Writer to Assistant News Editor, then Business Editor, Deputy Editor of Sunday Champion, and eventually Editor of Business Champion.
In 2000, he joined the Financial Institutions Training Centre (FITC) as Personal Assistant to the Director General. After a stint at FITC, he returned to journalism as Editor of Financial Standard newspaper.
A widely-traveled journalist, Echebiri has covered major local and international events including:
- June 12 Election in Nigeria
- Nigerian Economic Summits
- World Bank/IMF annual meetings (in various countries)
- African Development Bank meetings
- African Export-Import Bank annual meetings
- Inter-African Trade Fair
- World Economic Forum
He has attended and served as a resource person at many training programs, seminars, and conferences globally. Echebiri also helped shape Nigerian economic policy through his participation in national strategy sessions, including:
- Member of the drafting team for the Prioritisation of Federal Government’s Policies, Programmes and Projects (2011–2015)
- Contributor to the popular version of Nigeria’s economic blueprint, Vision 20:2020
Echebiri earned a B.Sc. in Economics from the University of Calabar as a Mobil scholar, an MA in Development Economics from the University of East Anglia, UK, as a British Chevening scholar, and a PhD in Economics from Babcock University, Nigeria.
He is the author of several books, including:
- Rage of the Risk God – A Reportage of the Lamido Sanusi Banking Reforms
- The Power of One Man – How the Soludo-Engineered Consolidation Transformed Nigerian Banks to Global Players