Ensuring international best practices in the pension industry are observed by the operators in Nigeria.
The Pension Fund Operators Association of Nigeria (PenOp) is the trade association and umbrella body of all licensed pension funds in Nigeria. It is an impact focused organization and a market building enterprise that was established to promote the operations of the pension industry in Nigeria, provide for self-regulation, and ensure that international best practices relating to the industry are observed by the operators registered in Nigeria. It engages with various stakeholders to ensure that the pension industry has a positive impact on the operators, the contributors and the economy as a whole.
Vision
Mission
Our Values
(RIKIEE)
The Executive Body
Umar Sanda Mairami, HCIB, a 1985 B. Sc. Building graduate of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria commenced his working career with Habib Nigeria Bank Limited as a Trainee Officer at the Yola branch of the bank on June 1, 1990. Since then, he has ventured into several aspects of banking covering Operations, Business Development & Marketing, Credit Management & Recovery, and Branch Management as well as Branch Operations Coordination at the Head Office.
He joined Intercity Bank Plc in 1999 as Executive Assistant to the Managing Director and doubled as head of Corporate Planning and head of Corporate Promotions departments. He was subsequently redeployed to oversee the Credit Administration Department of the Bank. In recognition of his versatility, Intercity Bank Plc redeployed him to the Training Department as head to enhance the skills of the workforce. Mr. Mairami eventually ended his career at Intercity Bank Plc as Deputy General Manager – Group Head, Corporate Services with supervision spanning over Human Resources, Administration, Financial Control and Information Technology departments. The banking reforms of 2004 resulted in Intercity Bank Plc fusing with eight (8) other banks to form Unity Bank Plc where Umar was appointed as its pioneer Head, Human Capital Management Department. After successfully integrating the human resources of the bank, he was redeployed to the Assets Remediation Department to manage hardcore loans and advances. He ended his five-year career at Unity Bank Plc as Divisional Head, Operations after serving in that capacity for two years.
Mr Mairami an Alumnus of Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania United States, also obtained a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and he is a member of Chartered Institute of Bankers.
He joined the pension industry on September 19, 2011, when he assumed duty as Executive Director at Legacy Pension Managers Limited. He has during his six-year service at Legacy Pension Managers Limited held the positions of Executive Director, Operations & Services as well as Executive Director, Business Development & Investments. These two positions afforded him the opportunity of direct supervision of both the market-facing and support departments. He also acted as Managing Director during the absence of the substantive Chief Executive Officer.
Mrs Joy Ojakovo is a highly skilled professional with a wide experience in Management, logistics, warehousing and distribution, product design, business process optimisation. Interested in the evolution of online shopping (eCommerce) business. Excited about new possibilities and possibilities, like to think outside the box. Motivated by challenges - as well as by inspiring others.
Godson Ukpevo holds a Masters’ degree in Banking and Finance from the University of Lagos, an MBA from the Enugu State University of Technology and a Bachelors’ degree in Sociology and Anthropology from the University of Benin.
He has worked in senior and executive management positions in various organizations across different sectors. These include Ecobank Nigeria Limited, First City Monument Bank, former Citizens International Bank and Clay Grounds Agro. Allied Company.
He has also played strategic roles in the reforms in the Nigerian Pension Industry in particular, the old Defined Benefit Scheme of the Federal Government as the pioneer Director and Head of the Civil Service Pension Department of the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate, PTAD
He has attended several trainings in financial management, sales and marketing, credit risk application and change management organized by top institutions like Citigroup Inc., INSEAD Business School, FitchLearning, Arthur Anderson & Co in New York, Fontainebleau, London and Lagos.
Donald Onuoha is a graduate of Chemical Engineering from the Institute of Management and Technology, Enugu. He holds a master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Uyo. Donald has attended several courses in renowned business schools across the globe. He holds a certificate in financial planning from Florida State University, United States. He attended the AMP Global Module at IESE Business School Barcelona and Advanced Management Program (AMP 39) of the prestigious Lagos Business School in 2023. Donald is a Certified Wealth Management Professional (CWMP), a member of Chartered Institute of Directors of Nigeria (IOD) and member Ikoyi Club 1938.
Donald started his career with Dubcom Limited as business development manager in 2004. He has held strategic leadership positions in ARM Pension Managers and Pensions Alliance Limited between 2006 and 2018. He joined Fidelity Pension Managers in 2018 as Head of Business Development. He was appointed Executive Director in 2021 and Managing Director and CEO in February 2022.
Mr. Peters Eledu, Managing director of Zenith Pensions Custodian Limited, is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS), Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN), as well as Honourary Senior member Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN). He is also a member of the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment, (CISI) London and an alumnus of the Said Business School, University of Oxford.
He holds a B.Sc degree in Economics and M.Sc in Economics, both from the University of Lagos, Akoka. Mr Eledu is on-boarded with over thirty-six (36) years cognate experience majorly in the Financial service industry in different roles and functions.
He started his career with Hoesch Pipe Mills (Nigeria) Ltd as an account officer and later moved to other reputable organisations like Central Bank of Nigeria as an Assistant Economist. Subsequently he has worked in various Banks and financial institutions such as Societe Bancaire Nigeria Limited (Merchant Bankers), Manny Bank Plc, Gateway Bank Plc, Continental Trust Bank/Standard Trust Bank Group, and the Institutional Investors Nigeria Limited Group in various units such as internal control & audit, strategic planning, Portfolio management, Credit appraisal & analysis, business development and Branch Management..
He started his career in Zenith bank in Internal Control & audit unit where he displayed unparalleled leadership in formulation of polices, audit, inspection and control functions and thereafter as Group and Zonal Heads in various branches and zones of the Bank such as Isolo, Apapa, Apapa 2 Zone (Trinity) and Marina Zone. He is versed in human, financial and material resource management as well as endowed with broad knowledge of executive management.
Oguche is currently the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Pension Fund Operators Association of Nigeria (PenOp). In this role he leads the efforts of Nigeria’s pension industry in engaging regulators, the government, the media, financial markets and other stakeholders in order to ensure that the interests of the pension operators are protected and promoted and also in ensuring that the pension industry has a positive effect on National Development.
Oguche was previously Nigeria’s Regional Director for OurCrowd, a crowd funding and venture capital firm with headquarters in Israel. He was also previously the Chief Investment Officer/Executive Director of a growing integrated real estate and alternative asset management company
Prior to this, he worked as a Special adviser to Nigeria’s Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment. His portfolio was “Access to Finance”. In this role, he advised on and implemented policies, strategies and programmes that could help to increase access to finance for Nigeria’s teeming entrepreneurs.
Prior to this, he worked with Standard Chartered Bank as an associate Director in their Lagos office, where he was in charge of the credit quality of a portfolio of assets worth USD 7 billion dollars. This included various loan products and derivatives to banks, the government and sovereign owned enterprises (SOEs) in Nigeria. In Standard Chartered, he had short term assignments in South Africa and London, working in the Risk management, Credit and Corporate Finance functions. In Standard Chartered Bank he held various roles spanning operations, Risk management & Credit, financial institutions and strategy.
He possesses a degree in Banking and finance (University of Lagos) and is a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers Nigeria and an associate of the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers Nigeria.
He is an avid writer and he has a column in some local and international mediums where he writes and advices on strategy, finance, entrepreneurship and emerging markets.
He is deeply involved in community work, as he mentors a group of volunteers, focusing on building global businesses and leaders out of Nigeria
He is a firm believer in Nigeria, married to his best friend and they have two boisterous children
He has been privileged to experience life as an entrepreneur, a policy maker and an employee in a world class organization operating in an emerging market. These varied experiences have enabled him to appreciate life and business from different perspectives arming him with a unique blend of the excellence of the private sector and the social impact objective of the public sector.