Management Team

Paul Onwukwe, Onyekachi Nnaji, Chartered Accountant, Banker, Risk Manager and Strategic Planner was born on March 14, 1972 at Okehi 2 in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State. He had his early education at State School 2 Okehi Etche between 1977 and 1982 where he obtained First School Certificate and Community Secondary School Umuozoche Igbodo Etche between 1983 and 1987 as well as Rivers State School of Basic Studies, Rumuola Port Harcourt in 1988 for the West African School Certificate (WASC).  He attended Rivers State Polytechnic (Presently Ken Saro-Wiwa Polytechnic), Bori from 1992 to 1996 where he obtained HND in Accountancy with distinction. He also obtained a PGD in Business Studies from Rivers State University (RSU), Port Harcourt in 2005, a B.Sc (Hons.) in Finance & Banking with second class upper division in 2007, M.Sc in Accounting in 2014 and Ph.D in Accounting all from University of Port Harcourt.

Paul qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 2008 and in 2011 became one of the pioneers of Microfinance Certified Bankers of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (MCIB). He is also a member of Nigerian Institute of Management (MNIM) and had in the past undertaken many in-service trainings with Central Bank of Nigeria (2004, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011), Lagos Business School (2008), Centre for Microenterprise Development Lagos (2008), Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (2009) and LAPO Academy for Microenterprises Development, Benin City (2012).

He undertook his National Youths Service Corp (N.Y.S.C) programme at the Treasury Department of Asa L.G.A of Kwara State during the 1996/1997 service year and began his working career as Audit trainee with Harold Dan-Jumbo & Co (Chartered Accountants) 1998 – 2000 during which he was also seconded to Sak Ladikpo & Co. (Chartered Accountants). He served as the Admin/Accounts Manager of Emfubec Oil Company Ltd. (Independent Petroleum Marketers) Aba in 2001. He joined Choba-Uniport Community Bank Ltd. in 2002 where he held positions such as Credit/Marketing Officer (2002 – 2004), Accountant/Head of Operations (2004 – 2006) and when the community bank converted to U & C Microfinance Bank Ltd he has held positions such as Head of Finance/Accounts (2006 – 2013), Head of Operations (2013 – 2014) and was appointed the Ag. Managing Director/CEO of the bank in July, 2014 and the Managing Director/CEO in December, 2015 till date.

In September, 2020 Dr. Nnaji was elected the Chairman of National Association of Microfinance Banks (NAMB), Rivers State Chapter. His dynamism, innovative abilities and strength of character are essential ingredients towards a sustainable microfinance industry.

Dr. Innocent Bale, is the General Manager, U&C Microfinance Bank Ltd and erstwhile Manager, CCE (Mile) Branch. He was born on 1^st October, 1973 and has acquired expansive academic and professional training in Accounting, Banking & Finance, Taxation and Business Management.

He holds a Higher National Diploma (HND) in Accounting, Bachelor of Science (B.Sc) degree in Banking and Finance, Post Graduate Diploma (PGD) in Business Administration and Management, Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree in Finance & Banking and Master of Science (M.Sc) degree in Accounting. He ultimately earned a doctorate degree (Ph.D) in Accounting from the University of Port Harcourt in 2018 with research focus on ‘loan-loss accounting and financial soundness of banks’.

Dr. Bale is a consummate professional laced with membership of several professional institutes spanning Accountancy, Taxation, Banking and Management. He is a Chartered Accountant/ member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN), Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria- Microfinance Certified Banker (MCIB) and the Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM) Chartered.

Dr. Bale has garnered incredible traction in banking having served at the top echelon of practically all the functional departments in the Bank with almost two decades of effective leadership experience viz: Operations, Finance/Accounts, Audit/Internal Control, Human Resources/Corporate Services. Currently, he is the Secretary, Finance & Governance Committee (F&GC), Board Recapitalisation Committee, Chairman, Budget & Strategic Planning Committee, Chairman, Asset & Liability Management, Member, IT Steering Committee and Management credit Committee and former Secretary, Board Credit Committee (BCC).

Dr. Bale is a scholar and has published several research articles in both local and international journals with research spotlight on accounting for banking institutions.

Prior to his foray into banking, he had a stint at Abadi & Co Chartered Accountants, Port Harcourt as a Senior Audit Officer. Dr. Bale is a topnotch accountant, veteran banker and finance analyst with impeccable credentials and rare passion for excellence.

Mr. Eseoghene Ejogbamu was born on the 27^th of April 1978. He hails from Ethiope East in Delta State. He is the current Manager, U&C Academy and has over 10 years experience in banking. He started his schooling at Cardoso Primary in Apapa, Lagos in 1984. He later attended University Demonstration Secondary School (UDSS) Uniport (1991-1996). He obtained his First Degree from Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma (B.SC Public Administration) in 2003.  He became a Certified Microfinance Banker (MCIB) in 2011 and a certified member of the Institute of Cooperate Administration (MICA) in 2013.  His MBA from the University of Roehampton London is still in view.

Mr. Ejogbamu is highly skilled in needs assessment, strategic planning, establishing priorities and delegating tasks, motivating teams and following through to ensure success.  He has demonstrated skills, knowledge and experience in the design and execution of marketing activities with strong creative, strategic, analytical, organizational and personal sales skills.

He is experienced in developing and managing budgets, training and human capital development, supervising and appraising personnel. He began his career as a part time lecturer at the Chartered Institute of Administration in 2005.  He joined First Global MFB in 2007 as the Area Head in charge of supervision of Marketing/Credit Staff & Clearing Reps, Reconciliation, Loan Disbursement & Recovery and Scanning of new Marketing Centres.  He later moved to Royal Microfinance Bank as Head of Credit/Marketing in 2009.  He joined Iwoama MFB as Head, Internal Audit/Control/Risk management and was later made Managing Director/CEO in 2011.

He joined Midland MFB in 2013 as the Head of Credit and Marketing and U&C Microfinance Bank Ltd in 2017 as a Principal Manager in charge of Business Development. Mr. Ejogbamu has undergone several trainings on Microfinancing, Risk, Credit and Marketing with FITC, CBN, NDIC, BOAZ and UNDP.  He is a well-recognized microfinance trainer in Rivers State, who has organized trainings on behalf of CIBN in the past. He was the Chairman, National Association of Microfinance Banks (NAMBS) Rivers State Chapter Training Committee.

Mrs. Imeh Edem David was born on 13^th December, 1968 at Nsit Ubium in Akwa Ibom State. She is a holder of both Masters Degree (M.Sc) and Post Graduate Diploma (PGD) in Management from the University of Port Harcourt. As part of her career, she also obtained a B.SC Degree in Physics from University of Uyo and NCE from Akwa Ibom State College of Education. Mrs. David is presently the Manager of Human Resources of U&C MFB in Uniport and has put in sixteen (16) years working experience in the Banking Industry.  Other previous positions held in the bank are; Cash teller, Cash Officer, Cheque Clearing officer, Head of Marketing, CCE Branch Mile 3 Diobu Port Harcourt, Head of Group Credits, Head of Business Development and Head of Abuja Meeting point.

She was a member of Management Credit Committee (MCC), Secretary of Board Credit Committee (BCC) and has attended the under listed capacity building trainings which adds value to the bank over the years: Credit Administration & Portfolio Management by Centre for Microenterprises Development (CMD) 2009, Product Development by CMD 2009, Understanding Microfinance Operations, by LAPO Academy for Microenterprises Development (LAMED) 2010. She qualified as a Microfinance Certified Banker of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (MCIB) in 2013.

Chizoba Christiana Vevakpor was born on 19^th March 1972 at Nkanu East of Enugu State.  She attended Queen of Rosary College Onitsha and obtained a Diploma in Social Work from University of Nigeria Nsukka in 1994. Later she proceeded to Enugu State University of Technology for a degree in Public Administration (1998). After her NYSC programme with Afribank Port Harcourt – Trans Amadi branch in 2000, she joined the then Choba-Uniport Community Bank as a cashier in July 2002. She was appointed the pioneer Head of CCE cash Centre in 2005. After conversion to U & C Microfinance Bank, she had been Head of Corporate Services (2007) and served as the Head of Business Development a position that enabled her lead the foot soldiers into the untapped microfinance market in 2008. In 2013 she was appointed the Head of Monitoring Unit in the Internal Audit Department of the Bank.  In 2014, she was made the Head of Human Resources, in 2019 Manager, Choba Branch/Operations and in 2020, Manager U&C Cooperative, Investment and Credit Society Limited.

Chizoba had participated in the following trainings in the past; “Transformation of Community Banks to Microfinance Banks’’ (2008), Credit Administration for Microfinance banks by Quantum projects Ltd 2009, Credit Administration & Portfolio Management by Centre for Microenterprises Development (CMD) 2009, Product Development by CMD 2009, Understanding Microfinance Operations, by LAPO Academy for Microenterprises Development (LAMED) 2010. In 2013 she also attended training on Monitoring and supervision for effective SME and Microfinance Management. She qualified as a Microfinance Certified Banker of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (MCIB) in 2013.

Victoria James Harry was born into the Family of Mr. & Mrs. James Sunday on 12^th November 1977 at Akinima Ahoada-West L.G.A, Rivers State. She attended Eliabi Community Primary School, Akinima where she obtained First School Certificate in 1988 and Government Secondary School Ubeta in Ahoada-East L.G.A. where she obtained Senior Secondary School Certificate (SSCE) in 1994.

She obtained a Higher National Diploma (HND) in Accountancy from the Rivers State Polytechnic, Bori in 2005 and undertook her National Youth Service Corps Programme in 2006 at Government Secondary School Kagoro in Kaduna State as an Economics Teacher. She qualified as Microfinance Certified Banker (MCIB) in April 2015. She began her career in 2007 in a Private Company LIBY LTD in Port- Harcourt where she served as the Accountant of the Company.

Victoria joined U&C Microfinance Bank Ltd in April 2008 in the Finance/Accounts Department where she held positions such as Accounts Assistant (2008 – 2011), Management Accountant (2012 – 2013), Head of Finance/Accounts (2014 – 2017). She also served as the Head of Internal Audit (2017 – 2020) and currently the Head of Business Development.

Mac-Tom Mike Bakosi attended W.T.C. Primary School, Enugu where he obtained his First School Leaving Certificate in 1992 and Jomkarama Grammar School, Jomkarama in Ahoada West Local Government Area where he obtained West African School Certificate in 2001. He proceeded to Rivers State University between 2002 – 2007 where he obtained B.Sc in Accountancy. He became a Certified Microfinance Banker (MCIB) in 2022.

He undertook his National Your Service Corps programme in 2008 at Talent International School, Huayi Banki, Kawo, Kaduna State as a Teacher.

He began his working career with Havilah and Hills Multimedia in 2009 as Assistant Accounts Officer, He later moved to Uniport Bottling Company in 2010 as Accounts Officer/Marketing Manager. He joined U and C MFB Ltd in 2017 as the Management Accountant but now the current Acting Head of Internal Audit.

Mr.Wisdom B. Ere-ep was born on 22nd May, 1979 in Gure town- Khana L.G.A, Rivers State. He attended Gure State Primary School and Community Secondary School Ue-gure Bo-ue where he obtained his First School Leaving Certificate and West African School Certificate in 1988 and 1996 respectively. He proceeded to Rivers State Polytechnic Bori and University of Port Harcourt where he obtained Higher National Diploma (HND) 2008 and B.Sc 2012 in Banking and Finance.

His working experience began during his one year industrial attachment at Rivers State Local Government Pension Board as the assistant payroll officer and teacher at Area Community High School Owode Yewa  Ogun State during National Youth Service Corps (NYSC). He is privileged to have served in several capacities in U&C Microfinance Bank Ltd as cash teller, Treasury officer, fund transfer officer, head of Cash tellers, assistant internal control officer, and branch resident internal control officer. He has served as Unit head Micro credit and Unit head Corporate Marketing. He has attended other on the job trainings- Capacity building on Microfinance Banks operations in 2010 by Lift Above Poverty Organisation (LAPO), Fraud prevention, detection and investigation in 2015 by TAS-MEGA Consult limited and Credit Risk Management for Microfinance Banks by CIBN 2017. He qualified as Certified Microfinance Banker (MCIB) in 2018.

Samari Edoni is an IT Professional who has vast knowledge in different aspects of Information Technology, with specialty in Networking. Born on January 15, 1976 in Oloibiri, Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.  He attended St. Michael’s Primary School, Oloibiri (1980 – 1986), Oloibiri Grammar School, Oloibiri (1987 – 1992) and Rivers State Polytechnic, Bori (1997 – 2001) where he obtained Higher National Diploma (HND) in Computer Science.  He also holds a Diploma in IT Infrastructure Management from NIIT, Port Harcourt Centre, obtained in July 2015. He qualified as Microfinance Certified Banker (MCIB) in 2018.

Samari’s working experience started with four-month Students’ Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) at Eleme Petrochemicals Company Limited in 1997/1998 and twelve-months Industrial Training at Nigerian Agip Oil Company Limited in 1999.  After his National Service (NYSC) in 2002, he worked with Fremok Services Limited as IT Support Engineer from 2003 to 2007.  Between 2007 and 2011 he was on private practice, providing IT Support/Consultancy Services to various firms.  He joined U&C Microfinance Bank Limited in November, 2011 as IT Officer and performed IT related functions. He has worked with U&C Microfinance Bank Limited till date and heads the IT Unit of the bank.