Zenith Bank Plc’s Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Ebenezer Onyeagwu, has been conferred with a Doctorate Degree in Business Administration by the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
The award is in recognition of his remarkable achievements as the CEO of Zenith Bank and his contributions to the growth of the financial services sector in Nigeria and across the African continent.
The award was presented during the 50th convocation ceremony of the University on Saturday, March 25, 2023.
In his acceptance speech, Dr. Onyeagwu expressed his gratitude to the University of Nigeria for finding him worthy of the prestigious Doctorate Degree in Business Administration, considering the rigorous selection process of the institution.
He dedicated the award to the board and management of Zenith Bank, the staff, the Bank’s customers, his family, and the Founder and Chairman, Dr. Jim Ovia, CFR, who has been a mentor and a source of inspiration to everyone at the Bank and beyond.
The orator of the University of Nigeria, Dr. Ikenna Onwuegbuna, presented the citation of Dr. Ebenezer Onyeagwu to the assemblage at the 50th Convocation Ceremony for the conferment of the Doctorate Degree in Business Administration.
The citation highlights Dr. Onyeagwu’s educational background, which includes being an alumnus of Auchi Polytechnic, the University of Oxford, England, Salford Business School, University of Salford, Manchester, United Kingdom, Delta State University, Abraka, Wharton Business School of the University of Pennsylvania, Columbia Business School of Columbia University, and the Harvard Business School of Harvard University in the United States.
Dr. Ebenezer Onyeagwu is a Fellow (FCA) of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), a Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM), The Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), the Institute of Credit Administrators (ICA), and Senior Associate Member, Risk Management Institute of Nigeria (RIMAN).
He is also the Chairman of the Body of Banks’ Chief Executive Officers, Nigeria, and Chairman of Zenith Pensions Custodian Limited and Zenith Nominees Limited. Additionally, he is a member of the International Monetary Conference (IMC), the Wall Street Journal CEO Council, the African Trade Gateway Advisory Council of the Africa Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), and the Governing Council of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN).
Dr. Onyeagwu’s track record of excellence has also seen him win several individual awards, including being named Bank CEO of the Year (2019) by Champion Newspaper, Bank CEO of the Year (2020, 2021 & 2022) by BusinessDay Newspaper, CEO of the Year (2020 and 2021) – SERAS Awards, and CEO of the Year (2022) – Leadership Newspaper.
Other recipients of Doctorate Degrees at the 50th convocation ceremony include former Governor of Delta State, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, who was conferred with the Doctor of Public Administration, and the Chairman of Hobark International Limited, Dr. Obiora Fubara, who received the Doctor of Business Administration.
However, the conferment of the Doctor of Law on the retired Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, Justice Mary Odili, was deferred to a later date because she was unavoidably absent at the ceremony.
