Godwin Emefiele’s biography, fact, career, awards, net worth and life story

Godwin Emefiele is a Nigerian economist who has been serving as the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria since June 4, 2014. Born on August 1961 in Lagos State, Nigeria, Emefiele is originally from Ika South, Delta State.

Education

Emefiele attended primary education in Government Primary School,Victoria Island (fomerly Ansar-U-Den Primary School, Igbosere), Lagos. He completed his primary education in 1973, and thereafter proceeded to Maryland Comprehensive Secondary School, Ikeja, Lagos, graduating in June 1978 with a West African School Certificate (WASC). Furthermore, Emefiele holds a B.Sc. degree in Finance (1984) and an MBA in Finance (1986), both from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. He is also an alumnus of Executive Education at Stanford University, Harvard University (2004) and Wharton School of Business (2005). The Central Bank Governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele was conferred with an Honorary Doctorate Degree in Business Administration by the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN).

Career in the private sector

Early in his career, Emefiele lectured Finance and Insurance at the University of Nigeria Nsukka, and University of Port Harcourt, respectively.

Before moving to the Ce ntral Bank, Emefiele gained over eighteen years of banking experience. He served as Chief Executive officer and Group Managing Director of Zenith Bank Plc. Emefiele served as Deputy Managing Director of Zenith Bank Plc. from 2001. He served as Executive Director in charge of Corporate Banking, Treasury, Financial Control and Strategic Planning of Zenith Bank Plc and served on the management team from its inception. Emefiele served as director at Zenith Bank Plc and Zenith Bank (Gambia) Limited. Emefiele serves as Director of ACCION Microfinance Bank Limited.

Governor of the Central Bank

Emefiele has been Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria since 2014. During his first term, he supervised an interventionist currency policy at the behest of the presidency, propping up the Nigerian Naira by pumping billions of dollars into the foreign exchange market. He also introduced a multiple exchange rate regime to try to mask pressure on the Naira and avoid a series of devaluations.

In 2019, Nigeria’s Senate approved a second five-year term for Emefiele. This is the first time that anyone will serve for a second term since Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1999. Senator Bukola Saraki read President Buhari’s letter on Thursday, May 9, 2019. He was screened on Wednesday and his confirmation came on Thursday, May 16, 2019.

Other activities

• International Monetary Fund (IMF), Ex-Officio Member of the Board of Governors (since 2018)
• International Islamic Liquidity Management Corporation (IILM), Member of the Governing Board (since 2018)