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The Central Bank of Kenya has approved the appointment of Nigeria’s Ralph Opara as the new Managing Director of Access Bank Kenya (ABK).
Opara previously served as Group Head of the Commercial Banking Division at Access Bank Group, where he grew the division into the lender’s largest commercial business, managing a balance sheet of over $1.2 billion and risk assets worth more than $1.3 billion.
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He succeeds Lillian Odhiambo, who has been acting MD since 2024. Odhiambo will now serve as Executive Director for Wholesale Banking, guiding the transition.
ABK Chairperson Barbara Barungi expressed confidence in Opara’s leadership, noting that his experience, combined with local management expertise, would steer the bank’s growth in Kenya and the region.
Access Bank, Nigeria’s largest lender, entered the Kenyan market in 2020 by acquiring Transnational Bank and earlier this year took over National Bank of Kenya (NBK) from KCB Group.
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Opara will oversee both ABK and NBK through an Integration Management Office aimed at creating a stronger, regionally connected bank. The institution said its focus will be on inclusive growth, boosting regional trade, and accelerating Kenya’s economic transformation.
