By Yakubu LAAH InvestAdvocate

Lagos (INVESTADVOCATE)-Less than a week to assume the leadership of the central bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, outgoing group managing director (GMD) of Zenith Bank Plc will this afternoon visit the Nigerian stock exchange (NSE).

Emefiele is expected to visit the Nigerian bourse with the management of Zenith Bank and will ring the trade closing bell in commemoration of his exit from the bank as the GMD and also introduce the incoming GMD to the stock market community.

As earlier reported on February 19 Lamido Sanusi, governor of Nigeria’s central bank was suspended and Emefiele, GMD of Nigeria’s third biggest lender by total assets, Zenith Bank was tipped to be in a pole position to be announced as the likely replacement for Sanusi and the choice of president Goodluck Jonathan for the plum job.

Emefiele was later confirmed as CBN governor designate by Nigeria’s senate on Wednesday March 26.

Emefiele holds a B.Sc Degree in 1984 and an MBA Degree in finance in 1986, both from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. He is also an alumnus of executive education at Stanford University, Harvard University (2004) and Wharton Graduate Schools of Business (2005).

Before commencing his banking career, he has lectured finance and insurance at the University of Nigeria Nsukka, and University of Port Harcourt, respectively. Emefiele serves as director of ACCION Microfinance Bank Limited.

Prior to emerging the CEO of one of Nigeria’s biggest lenders, Emefiele served as deputy managing director of Zenith Bank Plc. since 2001. He served as executive director in charge of corporate banking, treasury, financial control and strategic planning of Zenith Bank and had been in the management team since inception.