Cadbury Nigeria Appoints Ayman Gaafar as Managing Director Amid Growth Push

• May 13, 2026

Cadbury Nigeria Plc has announced the appointment of Ayman Hussein F. Gaafar as its new Managing Director, signaling a major leadership transition as the company intensifies efforts to strengthen growth and consolidate its recent financial recovery.

The appointment, which takes effect on May 15, 2026, was approved by the company’s Board of Directors following recommendations from its Governance and Risk Committee. The decision was disclosed in a corporate statement signed by the Company Secretary, Afolasade Olowe, and subsequently communicated to the Nigerian Exchange Limited and the investing public.

According to the company, Gaafar succeeds Folake Ogundipe, who has served as Interim Managing Director since December 2025. Her appointment came during a critical transition period for the business, as Cadbury Nigeria worked to stabilise operations and rebuild profitability amid harsh economic conditions and mounting inflationary pressures in Nigeria’s consumer goods sector.

Cadbury Nigeria commended Ogundipe for her leadership during the interim period, describing her tenure as instrumental in maintaining strategic direction and operational stability.

Gaafar’s appointment comes at a significant moment for the company, which recently returned to profitability after recording losses over two consecutive years. Industry observers see the leadership change as part of a broader strategy to reposition the company for long-term competitiveness in one of Africa’s most challenging consumer markets.

The new Managing Director brings decades of multinational experience spanning general management, commercial operations, business transformation, and market expansion. Over the course of his career, he has held leadership roles at global consumer goods companies including Procter & Gamble, Reckitt Benckiser, Danone, and Shan Foods.

Gaafar has also managed full profit-and-loss operations and led go-to-market execution across several international regions, including Africa, the Middle East, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Canada, and the Levant. His broad international exposure is expected to strengthen Cadbury Nigeria’s strategic positioning as the company pursues operational efficiency, market expansion, and sustainable growth.

With a new leadership structure now in place, attention will turn to how Gaafar drives the next phase of growth for Cadbury Nigeria Plc, one of Nigeria’s oldest and most recognisable consumer goods manufacturers.