Transcorp Hotels Plc names Dr Awele Vivien Elumelu Board Chair Effective 2026

Dec 22, 2025

image : Elumelu Foundation.

Dr Awele Vivien Elumelu has been appointed Chair of the Board of Transcorp Hotels Plc, effective January 1, 2026, marking a significant governance transition at one of Nigeria’s most valuable hospitality companies. The appointment places a seasoned healthcare executive and long term investor at the helm of a business central to Nigeria’s premium hospitality landscape.

Transcorp Hotels Plc is the hospitality subsidiary of Transnational Corporation Plc, a listed conglomerate with interests spanning power, energy, and services. Its flagship asset, the Transcorp Hilton Abuja, is widely regarded as Nigeria’s leading business hotel. The portfolio also includes Aura by Transcorp Hotels and the recently launched Transcorp Event Centre, a 5,000 seat facility that expands the group’s footprint in events and entertainment.

Career Timeline

• MBBS, University of Benin

• Clinical practice in Nigeria and the United Kingdom

• Founder, Avon Healthcare Limited

• Chief Executive Officer, Avon Medical Practice

• Executive education at Harvard Business School, IMD Switzerland, and the London School of Economics

• Chair, Heirs Insurance Brokers

• Founding Director, Heirs Holdings Limited.

• Private Sector Champion for Immunization in Africa, Gavi.

• Advisory Board Member, Yale Institute for Global Health.

Quoted on the Nigerian Exchange as TRANSCOHOT, Transcorp Hotels Plc has recorded strong market performance, with its share price rising 34.1 percent year to date as of December 15, 2025. The company’s market capitalization stands above ₦1.59 trillion, reflecting sustained investor confidence and strong operating fundamentals. In 2025, it also received multiple national and international recognition, reinforcing its position within Africa’s hospitality sector.

Dr Elumelu brings to the chairmanship a leadership profile shaped by healthcare delivery, corporate governance, and investment oversight. She is widely regarded as a composed and deliberate boardroom presence, known for careful analysis, attentive engagement, and measured decision making. Her leadership style emphasizes clarity, structure, and accountability, qualities increasingly critical in complex corporate environments.

She holds a 5.1 percent equity stake in Transcorp Plc, valued at approximately ₦87 billion as of December 2025, positioning her as both board leader and significant long term investor in the group. Her appointment further consolidates the Elumelu family’s influence within Transcorp and the wider Nigerian corporate landscape.

As Transcorp Hotels Plc continues to navigate expansion, capital market expectations, and brand stewardship, Dr Elumelu’s analytical approach and steady governance style are expected to shape board oversight in the next phase of the company’s development.

Munashe Mutsva - Senior Business Editor