KEY POINTS
- The Transcorp Hotels chair appointment takes effect January 1, 2026.
- Awele Elumelu brings healthcare and insurance expertise to hospitality leadership.
- The Transcorp Hotels chair appointment aligns with diversification into wellness and events.
Transcorp Hotels Plc has appointed Dr. Awele Vivien Elumelu as chair of its board, elevating a healthcare executive and philanthropist to the top role at one of Nigeria’s most recognizable hospitality companies.
The appointment, announced Tuesday, takes effect January 1, 2026. Elumelu will succeed Emmanuel N. Nnorom, who is retiring from the board after an unspecified tenure. The move places a major shareholder and seasoned corporate leader at the helm as the company positions itself for its next phase of growth.
Transcorp Hotels chair appointment signals shift
Elumelu, 55, is the founder of Avon Healthcare Ltd. and chief executive officer of Avon Medical Practice, a network of hospitals and clinics across Nigeria. She is also the largest female investor on the Nigerian Exchange, with a 5.1% stake in Transcorp Plc, the parent company of Transcorp Hotels. That holding is valued at about $15 million.
Transcorp Hotels, listed on the Nigerian Exchange under the ticker TRANSCOHOT, is the hospitality arm of Transnational Corporation Plc, a conglomerate with interests spanning power generation, energy and services. Its assets include the Transcorp Hilton Abuja, a fixture for diplomatic, government and corporate events in the capital.
Furthermore in a statement, the company highlighted Elumelu’s background in healthcare, insurance and governance, underscoring a desire to broaden the definition of hospitality beyond traditional lodging. Tony O. Elumelu, chair of Transcorp Group, said her leadership will support a strategy that blends hospitality, wellness and innovation while reinforcing responsible business practices.
What the Transcorp Hotels chair appointment means
A medical doctor by training, Elumelu earned her MBBS from the University of Benin and has practiced in Nigeria and the UK. She later completed executive education programs at Harvard Business School, IMD in Switzerland and the London School of Economics. She also chairs Heirs Insurance Brokers and is a founding director of Heirs Holdings.
Beyond corporate roles, she co-founded the Tony Elumelu Foundation, which has supported more than 24,000 young entrepreneurs across Africa, with a strong focus on gender inclusion.
According to Billionaires Africa, the leadership change comes as Nigerian hotel operators seek steadier income streams beyond room bookings, leaning into conferences, conventions and large-scale entertainment. Transcorp Hotels recently expanded into that space with the Transcorp Centre, a 5,000-seat events arena in Abuja.
The company finally said no other board or management changes were announced and that the transition will proceed subject to regulatory disclosures.
