Citigroup Incorporation has appointed Ireti Samuel-Ogbu as its Nigerian country officer, the first time a woman has been appointed to the lender’s top post after 36 years of operating in Africa’s largest economy.

Samuel-Ogbu, who starts on Sept. 1, replaces Akin Dawodu, who was appointed as cluster head for sub-Saharan Africa in November, Citigroup’s Nigerian unit said in an email.

For the past five years, she has served as managing director of payments and receivables, treasury and trade solutions for Europe, Middle East and Africa at the lender’s office in London, according to her LinkedIn profile. She will relocate to Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial hub to take on her new role and will report to Dawodu.

Samuel-Ogbu takes over Citigroup’s Nigerian office at a time when the West Africa nation’s banking industry is struggling with the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic, a slump in oil prices and a dollar scarcity that is choking the economy and hampering businesses.

The new country officer has a “talented and experienced team in Nigeria,” and will assist institutional clients in the country by plugging into Citigroup’s regional and global reach, the company said. Citigroup has offices in 11 countries on the continent.

-Bloomberg

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