Nova Bank Appoints Anele CEO, Meets CBN Capital Requirements
Nume Ekeghe, Sunday Ehigiator and Kayode Tokede in Lagos
NOVA Bank Limited has announced the appointment of Jude Anele as its Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, following approval by the Central Bank of Nigeria.
The appointment comes at a pivotal moment in the bank’s evolution, after its transition from merchant banking to commercial banking and the successful completion of its recapitalisation programme ahead of the March 31, 2026 regulatory deadline.
Anele brings more than 33 years of banking experience across West and Central Africa, with expertise spanning retail and commercial banking, corporate banking, risk management, institutional transformation and executive leadership.
The bank in a statement yesterday, said the appointment reflects the Board’s strategic commitment to consolidating NOVA Bank’s commercial banking platform while accelerating growth across its Corporate, Commercial and Retail segments, as well as priority markets.
Speaking on his appointment, Anele said: “Nova Bank has built a strong institutional foundation defined by regulatory compliance, capital strength, disciplined governance and a clear commercial mandate.
“Our focus now is execution, deepening customer relationships, expanding responsibly across priority markets, strengthening risk discipline and delivering sustainable value to our shareholders.”
Chairman of the bank, Phillips Oduoza, also expressed confidence in the new leadership.
According to him: “The Board is pleased to welcome Mr. Jude Anele as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer. His depth of experience, strategic clarity and proven leadership record align strongly with NOVA Bank’s growth ambitions.”
Oduoza added that with recapitalisation completed ahead of the regulatory timeline, the bank is entering a new phase defined by scale, stability and structured expansion.
The bank also confirmed that it has met the recapitalisation requirements set by the Central Bank of Nigeria ahead of the regulatory deadline, reinforcing its capital adequacy and long-term financial stability.
The capital raise, supported by new and existing shareholders, further strengthens the bank’s balance sheet and positions it for disciplined growth.
In 2025, Global Credit Rating reaffirmed NOVA Commercial Bank’s national scale long- and short-term issuer ratings of BBB(NG) and A3(NG) respectively, while Agusto & Co. reaffirmed the bank’s “Bbb” rating with a stable outlook.
Currently, NOVA Bank maintains operations in Lagos, Abuja, Owerri and Port Harcourt, with plans to open eight additional branches across key commercial hubs in 2026 as part of its expansion strategy.
The commissioning of the bank’s regional office in Owerri marked a significant milestone in its South-East and South-South growth strategy, attracting government officials, business leaders and Nigerians in the diaspora.
“NOVA Bank Limited, licensed and regulated by the Central Bank of Nigeria, commenced operations in 2018 as a merchant bank before transitioning to a commercial bank in 2024.
“The bank provides retail, SME, corporate and commercial banking services through its ‘Phygital’ model, an integrated approach combining physical branch presence with digital banking infrastructure,” the statement read.
ENDS
