FirstBank, West Africa’s premier financial institution and financial inclusion service provider, has confirmed the appointment of Olayinka Ijabiyi as the substantive Group Head of Marketing and Corporate Communications.
The appointment, which takes immediate effect, is expected to further strengthen the bank’s governance and strategic communication framework amid its ongoing transformation agenda.
Olayinka Ijabiyi is a seasoned marketing and corporate communications professional with over 25 years of experience spanning financial services, telecommunications, media, and international development sectors. His expertise covers brand transformation, strategic communications, and stakeholder engagement.
Ijabiyi joined FirstBank in 2011 and had been serving in an acting capacity as Group Head of Marketing and Corporate Communications since December 2024, before his confirmation. In his new role, he will oversee integrated marketing and corporate communications strategies across the group’s operations, including brand and reputation management, executive positioning, corporate responsibility and sustainability, and strategic communications aligned with the bank’s business objectives.
Before this appointment, he held several leadership positions within the bank’s marketing and communications structure, including Head of Brand Strategy and Special Projects, Head of Digital Marketing, and Head of Brand and Stakeholder Management.
Prior to joining FirstBank, he built a diverse career across major organisations such as the British Council, Multichoice, MTN, and Etisalat Nigeria, where he contributed to brand development, corporate communications, and digital transformation initiatives.
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.
