Aishatu Bubaram was appointed Group Executive, Commercial Banking North Division, FirstBank in January 2023. She has held several leadership positions during her 26+ years in the banking industry.
Aishatu brings to the Executive Management of FirstBank, a significant wealth of experience with expertise in Commercial Banking, Retail Banking, Public Sector, Private Banking, Banking Operations and Services, Strategic Business Development, Assets and Portfolio Management, Risk Management and Financial Advisory. She is an excellent administrator with a working knowledge of Islamic Finance.
She joined the Bank in 2009 and preceding her career in FirstBank, she had worked at the United Bank for Africa Plc and Standard Trust Bank Limited for eleven years, during which period she held various responsibilities in Operations and Retail Businesses.
Prior to her appointment as Group Executive, she was the Group Head Commercial Banking North between 2016 – 2023. During this period there was a turnaround in commercial banking business in the North. Aishatu strategically led her team to increase business efficiency by creating quality risk assets, reducing non-performing loan portfolios, improving account acquisition, implementing product development, and driving innovation in trade deals leading to sustained growth, increased profitability, and business stability. She also held other responsibilities such as Business Development Manager, Retail Banking and Zonal Head, Public Sector where she led successful teams with significant turn-around and value accretion to the Bank.
Aishatu is a certified Accountant of the Association of National Accountants of Nigeria and Honorary Senior Member, Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria. She holds a bachelor’s degree as the best graduating student in accounting and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) both from the prestigious University of Maiduguri, as well as a Master of Science (M.Sc.) in International Money, Finance and Investment from Brunel University, London. She has attended leadership and executive management programmes in Wharton Business School, University of Pennsylvania, USA, Cranfield University, United Kingdom, IESE Business School Barcelona, Spain and Lagos Business School amongst several other senior management trainings and certifications.
She serves in various capacities as Alternate Chairman of the FirstBank Women Network, an initiative set out by FirstBank Group CEO to support career advancement of women across the FirstBank Group. She is also the Alternate Chairman of First-Academy Governing Council, Chairman of the Corporate Sustainability and Responsibility (CRS) of FirstBank & Subsidiaries (2023), where she piloted the planting of 50,000 Trees in Nigeria, supporting the reduction of carbon footprints and promoting environmental health and sustainability amongst other laudable projects. She is currently serving as the Chairman of the FirstBank Annual Merit Award (FAMA) Steering Committee and has also been nominated to serve on the Board of FirstBank Guinea, subject to approval of the Central Bank of the Republic of Guinea.
Outside her professional career and in pursuit of her passion for humanitarian support, Aishatu founded a non-governmental organization, Hearty Hands Humanity Foundation where she is a member of the Board of Trustees and Co-Chairman. The foundation seeks to improve the lives of underprivileged citizens especially women and children, with a special focus on malnourished children, and to encourage child education and capacity building for women.
She is a highly motivated individual and a passionate team player.
Aishatu is happily married with twin children.
