By Patrick Idowu
President Bola Tinubu has appointed seasoned finance and agribusiness expert Ayo Sotinrin as the new Managing Director of the Bank of Agriculture, in a move set to energise Nigeria’s agricultural landscape.
The announcement, made on Friday by Bayo Onanuga, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, said the appointment takes immediate effect. Sotinrin’s emergence signals a strategic shift aimed at strengthening food security and revitalising rural economies across the country.
Sotinrin arrives at the helm with a powerful mix of public and private sector experience.
He is well known for his work with global institutions including the World Bank, African Development Bank, DFID, and USAID.
Before this appointment, he served as Group Chief Executive Officer of SAO Group, where he led major agribusiness projects such as a 20,000-hectare oil palm plantation and large-scale operations in poultry, aquaculture, maize, and cassava in Ondo State.
He also spearheaded SAO Capital, where he helped raise over 750 million dollars in development funding, including the landmark 200 million dollar Akure Water Supply Project.
In the public sector, Sotinrin was Special Adviser on Environment and Urban Development to the Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory between 2011 and 2015, playing strategic roles on federal and state-level initiatives.
An alumnus of Oxford University’s Said Business School, he also holds a master’s degree in Engineering Business Management from Warwick University and an advanced diploma in Environmental Conservation.
President Tinubu expressed confidence in Sotinrin’s ability to lead the Bank of Agriculture into a new era, citing his capacity to mobilise capital, drive innovation, and build lasting partnerships.
The President noted that this appointment aligns with his administration’s commitment to reposition the agricultural sector as the backbone of national development.
Observers say Sotinrin’s appointment is timely, as Nigeria seeks to unlock its agricultural potential and reduce dependence on food imports.
