First Bank of Nigeria Limited has confirmed the appointment of Olayinka Thomas Ijabiyi as the substantive Group Head, Marketing and Corporate Communications. The appointment, which takes immediate effect, reinforces strong corporate governance at a pivotal point in the Bank’s growth and transformation journey.
Yinka Ijabiyi is a seasoned marketing and corporate communications professional with over 25 years’ experience driving brand transformation, strategic visibility, and stakeholder engagement across financial services, telecommunications, media, and international development sectors.
He joined FirstBank in 2011 and has served in acting capacity as the Group Head of Marketing and Corporate Communications from December 2024 until his recent confirmation. In his role, he leads the development and execution of integrated marketing and corporate communications strategies across the Group’s markets. He oversees brand and reputation management, executive positioning, Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability as well as strategic communications initiatives aligned to the Bank’s business objectives/aspirations.
Prior to his current role, Ijabiyi held leadership positions within the Marketing and Corporate Communications Department in FirstBank, including Head, Brand Strategy and Special Projects; Head, Digital Marketing and Head, Brand and Stakeholder Management.
Before joining FirstBank, Ijabiyi built a diverse career across leading organisations including British Council, Multichoice, MTN and Etisalat Nigeria, where he played key roles in brand building, corporate communications and digital transformation initiatives.
Widely recognised for his strategic mindset, leadership ability to translate business objectives into impactful marketing and communications strategies, he has successfully led major brand initiatives, including milestone anniversary campaigns and brand refresh programmes, while consistently delivering efficiencies and enhancing brand equity.
Ijabiyi holds a Master’s Degree in Public and International Affairs from the University of Lagos and a Bachelor’s Degree in English Language from the former Ondo State University, Ado Ekiti. He is a Fellow of the National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria (NIMN) and a member of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), among other professional bodies.
