Unilever Nigeria has strengthened its executive leadership with the appointment of Mr. Uchenna Nwakanma as an Executive Director of the board. The announcement, communicated through the Nigerian Exchange Limited, reflects the company’s renewed focus on deepening technical excellence and innovation at the highest level of corporate governance.
Nwakanma is a seasoned Research and Development leader with more than two decades of experience in the fast moving consumer goods industry. He has built a strong reputation for driving product innovation, capability development and market relevant solutions across African markets. At Unilever, he has served as Research and Development Director for Personal Care across the Africa cluster, overseeing regional innovation strategy and guiding the development of key consumer brands.
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His career journey includes senior technical roles at PZ Cussons and Reckitt Benckiser. These positions sharpened his end to end innovation skills and strengthened his ability to convert consumer insights into commercially successful products. His experience cuts across Home Care, Personal Care, Baby Care and various over the counter categories, giving him broad visibility and strategic depth within the FMCG space.
Nwakanma has also contributed significantly to national and industry level initiatives. He has participated in technical review activities with the Standards Organisation of Nigeria and served on committees within the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria. His involvement in these bodies highlights his commitment to advancing manufacturing standards, regulatory alignment and quality assurance across the sector.
With his appointment, Unilever Nigeria expands its leadership structure and strengthens the board’s technical perspective. The board comprises ten members, led by Chairman Bolaji Balogun and Managing Director Tobi Adeniyi. The company expressed confidence in Nwakanma’s expertise and welcomed him into his new role.
This leadership addition aligns with Unilever Nigeria’s ongoing commitment to sustainability, local impact and innovation driven growth. The company has continued to spotlight programmes that support women’s empowerment, youth employability and local content development. These efforts connect strongly with an R and D philosophy that prioritises relevance, affordability and resilience for Nigerian consumers.
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Nwakanma’s presence on the board is expected to elevate the strategic importance of product development, strengthen local sourcing initiatives and improve operational and regulatory responsiveness. His appointment signals Unilever Nigeria’s intention to balance market expansion with strong governance, consumer insight and technical precision as it navigates a rapidly evolving business landscape.
