Board of Directors
Abdul Samad Rabiu (CFR, CON)
Abdul Samad Rabiu, CFR, CON., is the Chairman of BUA Foods Plc. He is a foremost industrialist, philanthropist and, also the Founder/Executive Chairman of BUA Group – a company which he founded in 1988 and has become one of Nigeria’s largest foods, manufacturing and, infrastructure conglomerate with diversified investments.
Abdul Samad Rabiu was a former Chairman of Tropical Continental Bank from 1993 to 2000, and a former Chairman of Nigeria’s Bank of Industry. In addition to his economic contributions, Abdul Samad Rabiu, through the BUA Foundation and his Abdul Samad Rabiu Africa (ASR Africa) Initiative, has contributed immensely to various philanthropic and social development activities in various areas from healthcare to education, sports, water & sanitation amongst others.
Abdul Samad studied Economics at Capital University, Columbus, Ohio, United States of America, and he holds double Nigerian National Honors of ‘Commander of the Federal Republic’ (CFR) and ‘Commander of The Order of The Niger’ (CON). He is a recipient of many awards including the 2016 African Industrialist of the Year Award by the All-Africa Business Leaders Awards. He is the inaugural and current President of France-Nigeria Business Council.
Ayodele Musibau Abioye
Ayodele Abioye is a distinguished business leader and engineer with over 30 years of experience in business and manufacturing engineering. He is a results-driven leader with proven expertise in operations, manufacturing, supply chain management and business development, with a track record of consistently delivering growth and profitability. Ayodele joined BUA Group as Chief Operating Officer in 2021 to oversee the company’s diverse food businesses and was subsequently appointed Managing Director of BUA Foods Plc. Under his leadership, the business has grown to become a leading entity in the Nigerian and African food sector.
His previous roles include General Manager at Seven-Up Bottling Company, Country Technical Director at Coca-Cola Nigeria, Regional Supply Chain Director with Nigerian Bottling Co. Ltd, Country Head of Supply Chain at Frigoglass Ltd, Dansa Foods Ltd. and Chief Operating Officer for SecureID Ltd amongst others.
Ayodele has a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering and Technology from the University of Ilorin, a Master’s degree in Engineering Management and a PhD in Manufacturing Engineering – both from the University of Benin. He has extensive professional training and exposure locally and internationally across the United States of America, Europe, and South Africa. He is a registered Engineer with Nigerian Society of Engineers and COREN and also an advisory board member of the University of Ilorin’s Food Engineering Department.
Ayodele Abioye is passionate about business strategy execution for growth, leadership and governance, internal control, waste reduction, sustainability, and associates’ development.
Kabiru Rabiu
Kabiru Rabiu is a Non-Executive Director at BUA Foods Plc, a Non-Executive Director at BUA Cement Plc, and the Group Executive Director at BUA Group. He has over 20 years’ experience spanning multiple sectors, including edible oils, cement, and infrastructure. Prior to his appointment, he held various management positions at Nigeria Oil Mills as General Manager, and later as Managing Director of BUA Oil Mills Limited where he successfully turned around the businesses. He was the pioneer Chairman of the Nigerian Sugar Institute, and he currently sits on the boards of several private and listed companies in Nigeria.
He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Management from Webster University, London, and an MBA in International Business from American Intercontinental University UK. Kabiru has won numerous awards and is a 2-time Laureate of the Institut Choiseul, France. He has also attended various courses in several business schools, including the London School of Economics and Political Science, Harvard Business School, Stanford University, and NYU amongst other institutions.
Finn Heyerdahl Arnoldsen
Finn Heyerdahl Arnoldsen is a Non-Executive Director of BUA Foods. He holds various executive and board roles across a number of companies that operate under the BUA brand. He holds a master’s degree in Mechanical and Combustion Engineering from Norwegian Institute of Technology, Trondheim, Norway in 1977. He has completed several Executive Management Development Programmes at the International Institute for Management Development (IMD). Lausanne, Switzerland (1996) and Institut Européen d’Administration des Affaires (INSEAD) Fortainebleau, France (2000). His entire working career has been in the cement Industry and mainly within the African Continent. He started his career in 1983 in Ghana as the Work Manager for Heidelberg Cement (Scancem International Ltd.) where he worked for 25 years from 1983 to 2008. He was member of the Executive Management in Heidelberg Cement Africa for 10 years as Senior Vice President, responsible for West Africa and Southern Africa. He was also Chairman and member of several Boards across the continent, also including Ghana Cement Works Limited, Nova Cimangola SA, and Tanzania Portland Cement Limited. He joined Cement Company of Nigeria PLC in 2009, where he served as Commercial Director and an Executive Board member. Furthermore, he was appointed Managing Director for Edo Cement Ltd in 2012 and Group Chief Operating Officer, BUA Cement PLC in 2017. He was appointed to the Board of BUA Foods in 2021.
Chimaobi Madukwe
Chimaobi Madukwe is a Non-Executive Director at BUA Foods Plc, a Non-Executive Director at BUA Cement Plc, and the Group Chief Operating Officer at BUA Group. He has over 30 years’ experience across banking, non-bank finance, as well as commercial sectors of the economy. He was involved in various syndications, financial and management restructuring, debt management and loan workout, and business start-ups. Prior to his role as Group Chief Operating Officer, he held various roles in executive management as Group Treasurer, Group General Manager, and Group Executive Director.
His previous roles include Head of Corporate Finance and Head, Treasury with the defunct Citizens International Bank after he left PBTG Consulting as an Associate/Consultant where he was involved in the restructuring/repositioning of some major financial institutions and manufacturing companies in Nigeria.
Chimaobi holds a Bachelor’s degree in Management Studies/Accountancy and an MBA in Finance from Anambra State University of Science and Technology. He has specialised training in Negotiation, Strategy, Corporate Finance, Assets & Liability Management , Structured Finance, Mergers & Acquisitions, Export Finance, Leasing, SME and has attended several international training programmes, symposia/seminars on Iron and Steel development, as well as on Cement.
Rashid Ur Imran
Rashid Ur Imran is a distinguished professional in the global food manufacturing and grainprocessing sector, bringing more than two decades of technical, operational, and leadership expertise to the industry.
He began his career in 1998 with Flour Tech Engineers (Pvt) Limited, one of India’s foremost manufacturers of foodprocessing equipment, where he developed deep capability in milling machinery and plant engineering. He advanced into international leadership roles, most notably at Wilmar International in Singapore, where he served as Operations Manager for the Flour & Pasta Business. In this role, he led major productionefficiency initiatives, strengthened quality systems, and oversaw operational strategy across multiple product lines.
With a strong engineering foundation and advanced professional training from the International School of Milling Technology (CFTRI Mysore), Kansas State University, and the Oxford Executive Leadership Programme at Saïd Business School, Rashid brings a rare blend of technical depth and strategic insight to the foodprocessing value chain.
A recognised figure in the global milling community, he is an executive member of the International Association of Operative Millers (IAOM) and has participated in numerous international programmes spanning flour milling, baking, feed milling, rice milling, and sugar technology.
In recognition of his expertise and leadership, Rashid was appointed to the Board of BUA Foods Plc in November 2021, where he contributes to the strategic direction of one of Africa’s leading food manufacturing companies
Oluyemisi Lowo-Adesola
Yemisi Lowo-Adesola is an accomplished banking and finance executive with over 30 years of experience across Sub-Saharan Africa. Her career spans Corporate & Institutional Banking, Correspondent Banking, Development Finance, Investment Banking, and Private Equity.
Yemisi founded and led CedarLink Advisory & Management Services Limited from 2022 to 2025, applying her extensive experience to provide strategic, governance, and financial advisory services. She subsequently transitioned to focus on board roles and independent consulting.
She serves on the boards of companies, providing governance oversight and strategic guidance. She champions ethical leadership, strategic clarity, and constructive boardroom engagement, and supports executive teams in building resilient, purpose-driven organisations that deliver sustainable, long-term value.
Prior to this, Yemisi held several senior leadership roles at Standard Chartered Bank, culminating in her appointment as Managing Director & Regional Head of Financial Institutions for Africa. In this role, she led a culturally diverse team across fourteen countries in Sub- Saharan Africa. Earlier in her career, she held senior roles at the International Finance Corporation (a member of the World Bank Group), First Bank of Nigeria Group, Investment Banking & Trust Company Limited (now Stanbic IBTC Plc), and Vee Networks Limited (now Airtel Nigeria Limited).
Yemisi holds a BSc (Hons) from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria; an MBA from Cranfield University School of Management, United Kingdom; and a Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA) from Lagos Business School, Pan-Atlantic University, Nigeria.
She is a distinguished Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria and the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers, and has completed executive education programmes at London Business School, INSEAD, Wharton, and Harvard Business School
Oluseye Alayande
Oluseye Olufunmilayo Alayande is a seasoned legal practitioner with over 25 years of experience across oil and gas, power and infrastructure, renewable energy, and FMCG sectors. Her expertise spans corporate commercial law, financing, project development, corporate governance, litigation advisory, regulatory compliance, and company secretarial practice.
She began her legal career between 2002 and 2006 at the chambers of Chief Rotimi Williams and later at Adepetun, Caxton Martins, Agbor and Segun (now Dentons-ACAS), where she developed strong commercial law capabilities and advised on major energy sector transactions. She transitioned to in-house practice in 2007, serving as Legal Manager at Sahara Group, where she managed key commercial and energy transactions. She later joined Afren Nigeria, rising to Deputy General Counsel, with responsibility for national and international transactions across West Africa, East Africa, and Kurdistan.
Prior to her current role, she served as Chief Legal Officer and Company Secretary at Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company Plc., overseeing board matters and providing legal advisory support for corporate transactions. In 2021, she was appointed Chief Legal Officer and Company Secretary of BUA Foods Plc., where she manages the company’s legal portfolio, including corporate governance, regulatory compliance, company secretarial functions, and commercial negotiations.
Oluseye holds an LL.B (Hons) from the University of Jos (1999), was called to the Nigerian Bar in 2000, and obtained a Master’s degree in Peace and Conflict Studies from the University of Ibadan. She is a member of the Nigerian Bar Association, Chartered Institute of Directors, Society of Corporate Governance Nigeria, and an Associate of ICSAN.
Senior Management
Our management team comprises of professionals with deep operational and technical experience, locally and internationally, from diverse sectors.
Ayodele Musibau Abioye
Ayodele Abioye is a distinguished business leader and engineer with over 30 years of experience in business and manufacturing engineering. He is a results-driven leader with proven expertise in operations, manufacturing, supply chain management and business development, with a track record of consistently delivering growth and profitability. Ayodele joined BUA Group as Chief Operating Officer in 2021 to oversee the company’s diverse food businesses and was subsequently appointed Managing Director of BUA Foods Plc. Under his leadership, the business has grown to become a leading entity in the Nigerian and African food sector.
His previous roles include General Manager at Seven-Up Bottling Company, Country Technical Director at Coca-Cola Nigeria, Regional Supply Chain Director with Nigerian Bottling Co. Ltd, Country Head of Supply Chain at Frigoglass Ltd, Dansa Foods Ltd. and Chief Operating Officer for SecureID Ltd amongst others.
Ayodele has a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering and Technology from the University of Ilorin, a Master’s degree in Engineering Management and a PhD in Manufacturing Engineering – both from the University of Benin. He has extensive professional training and exposure locally and internationally across the United States of America, Europe, and South Africa. He is a registered Engineer with Nigerian Society of Engineers and COREN and also an advisory board member of the University of Ilorin’s Food Engineering Department.
Ayodele Abioye is passionate about business strategy execution for growth, leadership and governance, internal control, waste reduction, sustainability, and associates’ development.
Michael Ehimah
Michael Ehimah has over 20 years of combined experience in Accounting, Statutory and Financial Reporting, Process and Controls Design, and Strategic Finance. He is highly experienced in capital market operations, computerized accounting systems implementation, and financial process automation.
He has served as Finance Director/General Manager – Strategic Finance, BUA Foods Plc, where he played a pivotal role in strengthening the company’s financial systems and driving strategic finance initiatives. He has been instrumental in advancing BUA Food’s company’s digitalisation and financial automation agenda.
Mr. Ehimah holds a B.Sc. in Accounting and Finance from Edo State University and a Master’s degree from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN) and the Nigerian Institute of Management (Chartered).
Isyaku Abdulsamad “Khalifa” Rabiu
Isyaku Abdulsamad “Khalifa” Rabiu is a quintessential leader with years of experience in driving strategic operational initiatives that enhance efficiency, supply chain resilience, cost optimisation, risk management and sustainable growth across food, cement and animal feeds industries.
He began his career at BUA Cement, gaining strong cross-functional experience in industrial operations, governance, and capital allocation. He assumed the role of Director, Special Operations (DSO) at BUA Group, where he collaborated with senior leadership on strategic high-impact initiatives requiring disciplined execution, and long-term value creation.
Khalifa led the establishment of a 40-metric-tonne-per-hour animal feed mill and was instrumental in the commercial re-entry of BUA Rice Mills leading to the successful reintroduction of BUA rice products into the Nigerian market. He also championed the use of proprietary digital platforms within the BUA Foods business to improve visibility into consumer behaviour, sales performance, and distribution, strengthening forecasting, pricing, and go-to-market execution.
He holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations from Regent’s University London, and a Master’s in Management (MiM) from Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business. Driven by an interest in policy and institutional effectiveness, he actively supports efforts to combat human trafficking in Nigeria, through his foundation.
Alim Liman
Liman Alim is an adept supply chain professional with over 10 years’ experience in supply chain operations within the FCMG industry.
He joined BUA Sugar Refinery Limited in 2008 as a management trainee and owing to his passion for business supply chain, he rose to the position of assistant store manager.
He was later promoted to manager, warehouse & logistics and was subsequently appointed General Manager to oversee logistics, procurement and sales department in BUA Sugar Refinery.
Alim holds a Bachelor’s degree in Geology from the University of Maiduguri and two Masters’ degrees from the University of Lagos in transportation planning & management as well as geography & planning (transport & logistics). He is a certified international trade logistics specialist, certified supply chain manager, a member of the African center for supply chain and a member of the Chartered institute of logistics and transport Nigeria.
Adewunmi Desalu
Adewunmi Desalu is a seasoned marketing and corporate communications professional with over 15 years of experience in business operations management, advertising, brand management, event and audio-visual production, experiential marketing, digital marketing, media management, corporate communications, trade marketing, consumer research, and project management. This experience spans several industries including FMCG, oil and gas, telecommunications, consumer electronics, retail, and financial services.
Before joining BUA Foods, she worked at Insight Publicis as a Business Director where she successfully managed campaigns for a diverse portfolio of global and multinational brands. As Business Director, she was responsible for driving multifaceted, consumer-led campaigns through multi-departmental collaborations to maintain relevance for the brands she handled while helping them grow consumer interest and capture additional market share. Her experience spans various sectors, including FMCG, Oil and Gas, Telecommunications, Consumer Electronics, Retail, and Financial Services, with notable clients such as Nestle, Heineken, Globacom, Axa Mansard, VISA, and Pepsi to mention a few.
Adewunmi holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry from Lagos State University. She has also earned a postgraduate degree in professional marketing from the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM), UK, and a postgraduate diploma in Digital Marketing from the Digital Marketing Institute, Ireland. She is a member of CIM, UK, and an associate member of ARCON.
Abhishek Mohunta
Abhishek is a seasoned marketing professional with 27 years of diverse experience across FMCG, media, entertainment, creative services, and operations. He brings extensive knowledge of the Nigerian FMCG market, having spent more than 16 years with Kellogg Tolaram in roles spanning marketing, brand management, consumer engagement, creative procurement, research, supply chain, and sales. During his tenure, he led below-the-line (BTL) marketing execution for 10 FMCG brands in Nigeria and managed a multi-million-dollar marketing budget. His expertise spans trade marketing, point-of-sale branding, outdoor media, retail activations, van sales, neighbourhood sampling, and market development programmes. In addition, he has held leadership responsibilities in supply chain, procurement, and operations, giving him a comprehensive understanding of the FMCG value chain. His earlier career in radio, television, filmmaking, creative production, and advertising has further strengthened his capabilities in storytelling, communication, and consumer engagement.
Abhishek holds a Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com.) degree, along with qualifications in Mass Communication & Journalism and Import-Export Management. He has also completed the Advanced Programme for Marketing Professionals at IIM Kolkata and an AI Masterclass with Outskill.
Abhishek drives BUA Foods’ end-to-end marketing operations and strategy, ensuring disciplined execution across our brands, categories, and channels. He combines marketing leadership with operational excellence to ensure that marketing investments deliver sustainable volume growth, market share gains, and profitable revenue.
Ashok Kumar Khajuria
Ashok Kumar Khajuria is a seasoned professional with over 20 years of cross-cultural experience in flour milling and managing production plant operations with key focus on bottom line profitability. Ashok’s expertise includes, but is not limited to plant operations, workforce management, quality assurance and process optimization.
Ashok joined BUA Group in 2009, so far playing a vital role in contributing towards plant maintenance operations and projects within the Flour/Pasta division of BUA Foods.
Prior to joining BUA Group, Ashok gained an in-depth knowledge of the milling discipline working at Emirates Grain Products limited, Sumithi Flour Mills in Bangalore to mention a few.
In 1996, he obtained a diploma in Electronic and Communication Engineering from the State Board of Technical Education in India, took an ISMT Milling Course from Central Food Technology & Research Institute in Karnataka, India in 2005, and subsequently obtained a certificate in Pasta Production from Northern Crop Institute, North Dakota, USA.
Labaran Saidu Audu
Labaran Saidu has over 22 years’ experience cutting across plant commissioning, upgrades maintenance, and projects implementation, and participated in the engineering design and procurement of the 10,000 TCD LASUCO Sugar Factory.
Prior to his appointment as Plant Director, he worked as the Chief Engineer between 2010 to 2013 where he coordinated all engineering activities of the factory. Before that, he was the Head of Mechanical Engineering between 2006 and 2010 at BUA Sugar Refinery.
Other roles include as a Piping Engineer at Dangote Sugar Refinery, where he rose to Senior General Manager with responsibility for the refinery operations.
He holds an HND in Metallurgical Engineering and a Master’s degree in Policy and Strategic Studies from Kwara State University. He is a member of the Nigerian Society of Engineers where he has attended numerous trainings.
Ayuba Gadzama
Ayuba Gadzama is a dynamic HR executive with over 25 years of cross-sector leadership in consulting, manufacturing, telecommunications, oil & gas, and power. Ayuba brings both breadth and depth to strategic HR delivery with proven success in secondments across power plants and global manufacturing sites.
Throughout his career, Ayuba has led HR transformations and people-centric strategies at top organizations including GTBank, British American Tobacco, MTN, Sahara Group, Oilserv, and Aquarian Consult. He has held leadership roles spanning talent development, compensation & benefits, HR operations, and ESG implementation.
He earned a B.Sc. in Business Administration from Ahmadu Bello University and is a member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management, as well as a Fellow of the Institute of Management Consultants. He is committed to continuous learning, having attended numerous advanced leadership and professional programs.
Boniface Enam
Mr. Boniface Enam is a seasoned professional with over 20 years of experience in auditing, investigation, accounting, internal control systems, financial management, and corporate tax consulting. He joined BUA Foods in 2023 as the Head of Internal Audit.
Prior to his current role, Mr. Enam built a distinguished career across various industries. He began his journey at Deloitte & Touche from 2002 to 2009, where he developed foundational auditing skills. He then served as Audit Manager at Ahmed Zakari & Co., overseeing critical audit processes. Following this, he advanced to Audit & Assurance Partner at BVE Professional Services and later held the position of Deputy Head of Internal Audit at Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, where he worked on enhancing internal controls and compliance.
Mr. Enam holds a Master’s Degree in Finance from Nasarawa State University. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (FCA), a Certified Forensic Accountant of Nigeria (CFAN) and a member of the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA).
Ayomi Ladokun
Ayomi Ladokun is a seasoned finance, risk management and internal control professional with over 15 years of cross-industry experience spanning the Banking, Aviation, Pharmaceutical, and FMCG sectors. He possesses deep expertise in Finance, Audit, Internal Controls, and Enterprise Risk Management, with a proven track record of strengthening governance frameworks and driving operational efficiency.
Prior to joining BUA Foods, Ayomi held key positions at Overland Airways Limited, May & Baker Nigeria Plc, and Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc, where he contributed significantly to enhancing risk frameworks, internal controls, compliance and operational efficiency.
He currently serves as the Head of Risk, Control & Sustainability at BUA Foods, where he provides strategic oversight on risk management, internal control systems, and sustainability initiatives aligned with the company’s long-term objectives.
Ayomi holds a Higher National Diploma (HND) in Banking and Finance from The Federal Polytechnic, Ede, Osun State. He is also a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), reflecting his commitment to professional excellence and ethical standards.
