7 things you didn’t know about Tony Elumelu’s sister, Agatha who is now Afriland Properties chairman

Afriland Properties announced her appointment on August 31, 2026, following the retirement of Emmanuel Nnorom, who served as chairman for more than a decade.

Elumelu-Obiekwugo joined the board of Afriland Properties in October 2018 as a Non-Executive Director. Before her elevation to chairman, she served on the Finance, Risk and General-Purpose Committee, as well as the Nomination, Audit and Governance Committee.

With more than three decades of experience across banking, commerce, information technology, consulting and oil and gas, Obiekwugo has built a career that extends beyond her family name.

Here are seven things you probably did not know about Agatha Elumelu-Obiekwugo:

1. She studied English, not business or finance. Elumelu-Obiekwugo holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Edo State University, now Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma. She later moved into business and earned an MBA in Marketing from ESUT Business School.

2. She is an oil and gas entrepreneur. Elumelu-Obiekwugo is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of ADASSA Energy Limited, an oil and gas company with interests across the upstream and downstream sectors.

3. Her career spans several industries. Long before she was appointed chairman, Elumelu-Obiekwugo built experience across banking, commerce, information technology, consulting, and oil and gas. Her professional journey cuts across sectors that have placed her in different areas of Nigeria’s corporate and business landscape.

4. She had spent eight years on Afriland Properties’ board before becoming chairman. Elumelu-Obiekwugo joined Afriland Properties as a Non-Executive Director in October 2018. Her appointment as chairman therefore represents an elevation within a company where she had already spent years contributing to board decisions and corporate governance.

5. Before becoming chairman, Elumelu-Obiekwugo served on the Finance, Risk and General-Purpose Committee and the Nomination, Audit and Governance Committee. Her previous committee roles gave her experience in areas central to the company’s financial oversight, governance, and board operations.

6. Elumelu-Obiekwugo's connection to the energy industry goes beyond her role at Adassa Energy. She is a founding member of the Women in Energy Network and has been involved in promoting the participation and development of women in the energy sector.

7. She completed the Strategy Execution Programme at Harvard Business School, adding an international executive education qualification to her academic background in English and marketing.