Standard Chartered has appointed Dalu Ajene as the Chief Executive Officer for Africa, a strategic leadership move that underscores the Bank’s long-term commitment to deepening its footprint across the continent. In his expanded role, Ajene will also serve as Head of Coverage for Africa, overseeing client relationships and growth across key markets.
Ajene assumes the role following a successful tenure as CEO of Standard Chartered Nigeria, a position he took up in April 2024. During his leadership, the Nigerian subsidiary delivered strong year-on-year financial performance and successfully met the Central Bank of Nigeria’s ₦200 billion recapitalisation requirement for national commercial banks well ahead of the March 2026 deadline. This milestone positioned the Bank as one of the most resilient and well-capitalised institutions in Nigeria’s highly regulated banking environment.
Prior to joining Standard Chartered, Ajene served as Chief Executive Officer of Rand Merchant Bank Nigeria, where he built a reputation for disciplined execution, balance sheet strength, and client-focused growth. His appointment as CEO Africa reflects Standard Chartered’s culture of internal talent development and its emphasis on leadership continuity in strategically critical regions.
With over 25 years of experience in global financial services, Ajene brings deep expertise across corporate banking, investment banking, trade finance, and structured solutions. His leadership track record aligns with Standard Chartered’s Africa strategy, which focuses on facilitating trade flows, mobilising development capital, and supporting economic growth through technology-enabled, client-centric financial solutions.
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Commenting on his appointment, Ajene said: “Having had the privilege of leading Standard Chartered Nigeria over the past two years, I am deeply honoured to now take on broader responsibilities across Africa. This transition reflects the strength of our franchise, the resilience of our teams, and the impact we have delivered in a period of significant change and development. Across the region, Standard Chartered remains a key partner in trade finance, structured solutions, and development finance, leveraging technology to deliver client-centric services anchored on trust.”
He added that his focus will be on accelerating growth across Corporate & Investment Banking as well as Wealth & Retail Banking, mobilising catalytic capital, and delivering sustainable value for clients, stakeholders, and communities across Africa.
Ajene holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Dartmouth College and an MBA from Harvard Business School. He is widely regarded as a people-first leader with a strong passion for building high-performance cultures that deliver best-in-class service and robust financial outcomes.
He succeeds Kariuki Ngari, who served as CEO Africa, and assumes responsibilities previously held under Sarmad Lone’s Africa Coverage portfolio, marking a new chapter in Standard Chartered’s Africa leadership.
