United Capital PLC has appointed four infrastructure investment experts as independent members of the investment Committee of the United Capital Infrastructure Fund (UCIF).
The appointments have been confirmed following the ratification and clearance by the Securities and Exchange Commission.
According to the company’s board of Directors, the appointment is targeted at repositioning for infrastructure opportunities in Nigeria and across Africa.
With investments in power, industrial recycling and renewable energy, UCIF continues to deliver superior results, achieving a year-to-date gross return of 24.62%.
The Group Chief Executive Officer of United Capital PLc, Mr Peter Ashade,said: “These appointments were made to further deepen the Fund’s governance and ensure that UCIF continues to drive sustainable impact through its investments. I welcome the newly appointed members of the Investment Committee and charge them to ensure sustainable growth and impact, while delivering consistent value to our investors.”
The appointees bring fresh perspectives, multinational exposure, and decades of multi-sector experience across infrastructure and investments.
The appointees are De Buys Scott appointed as Chairman while independent members are Olubunmi Akinremi, Bola Bamidele and Obinna Ufudo.
They join other members of the Investment Committee who are Odiri Oginni, UcheNna Mkparu and Adeyinka Jafojo.
Also commenting on the announcement, UcheNna Mkparu, Chief Investment Officer and Fund Manager at UCIF, said: “We are delighted to welcome the new members to the Investment Committee and would be counting on their track record, wealth of experience across multiple jurisdictions and impeccable professional reputations to steer UCIF’s strategic direction as we scale investments that deliver competitive returns across Nigeria and Africa.”
New Investment Committee Member Profiles
De Buys Scott – Independent Member & Chairman
De Buys is the Managing Partner at Cornerstone Infrastructure Advisors and former Senior Partner, Infrastructure at KPMG (South Africa). He is a qualified Chartered Accountant with vast African and International experience specializing in PublicPrivate-Partnerships (PPP); Corporate & Project Finance; Capital-raising in various sectors including transportation, passenger rail, healthcare, and mixed-use real estate.
Olubunmi Akinremi – Independent Member
Bunmi is the CEO of Tocam Capital, a Project Development firm focussed on natural resources and associated infrastructure. He has over 30 years’ experience in investment banking and corporate finance across Nigeria, USA, and the UK and has raised over $5 billion for the Nigerian market. He served as Senior Special Adviser to two past Nigerian Presidents on economic policy and has held NonExecutive Director and Audit Committee roles for companies in the financial services and real estate sectors. He holds a B.A. in Economics from the University of Essex, an MBA from Cranfield University and is an Associate member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.
Bola Bamidele – Independent Member
Bola, until her retirement from the World Bank Group after nearly 25 years, was the Sub-Saharan Africa Regional Lead, Transaction Advisory & Equity Mobilization at the International Finance Corporation (IFC). Bola is experienced in originating and structuring impact investments and has working experience in Sub-Sahara Africa, Latin America, Asia and Europe. She is also skilled in International Business, M&A Advisory, Infrastructure, Structured & Project Finance.
Obinna Ufudo – Independent Member
Obinna is a seasoned board director and executive with over 30 years’ experience spanning banking, investment, infrastructure, energy and social impact. He is Chairman of Loanbook Limited and Atiat Limited, and a Non-Executive Director of Abbey Mortgage Bank. He previously served as President/Group CEO of
Transnational Corporation of Nigeria Plc (Transcorp), leading a successful turnaround that delivered over US$1 billion in shareholder value within three years.
He is the Founder & Chairman of Sir Pius Ufudo Foundation, a Fellow of the CIBN, a British Chevening Scholar, an alumnus of Wharton AMP and IESE Executive MBA.
United Capital Infrastructure Fund (UCIF)
The United Capital Infrastructure Fund (UCIF) is a SEC-licensed, ₦150 billion closed-ended fund designed to finance and support infrastructure and related projects in Sub-Saharan Africa.
The fund targets key sectors, including agribusiness, industrial recycling, renewable energy, gas infrastructure, healthcare and manufacturing.