UNIZIK Appoints Valentine Ozigbo Visiting Associate Professor at Business School

Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, has appointed Nigerian business executive and governance advocate Valentine Ozigbo as a Visiting Associate Professor at its Business School.

The university said the appointment is intended to strengthen the connection between academic training and practical leadership experience within its graduate programmes.

Vice-Chancellor Bond Ugochukwu Anyaehie said the move is part of efforts to broaden the learning experience of students in the MBA programme by involving professionals with extensive industry backgrounds.

According to him, integrating practitioners into academic teaching allows students to examine leadership and governance from both theoretical and practical perspectives.

Ozigbo previously served as President and Group Chief Executive Officer of Transcorp Plc and has more than three decades of experience in Nigeria’s banking and corporate sectors. His career includes leadership roles at Transcorp Hotels Plc, United Bank for Africa, Diamond Bank, and Bank PHB, which later became Keystone Bank.

Director of the Business School Pius Okoye said the university expects students to benefit from exposure to real-world decision-making and governance practices.

He noted that Ozigbo’s experience across banking, corporate leadership, and public policy discussions would contribute to discussions on responsible leadership within the MBA programme.

Speaking on the appointment, Ozigbo said the role offers an opportunity to engage with emerging leaders and share lessons from his professional experience.

He said leadership requires accountability and integrity, adding that he hopes his interaction with students will support efforts to strengthen ethical leadership in business and public institutions.

Although he has received several honours, including the Seven Star Leadership Award for 2025, an honorary doctorate from Tansi University, and traditional chieftaincy titles, Ozigbo said he prefers to be addressed simply as Mr. Valentine Ozigbo.

The appointment took effect on February 12, 2026, and is unpaid.

As part of his responsibilities, Ozigbo will teach organisational leadership and ethics in the MBA programme, focusing on governance, institutional responsibility, and leadership challenges in large organisations.