The new Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele, formally assumed office this morning at the headquarters of the Bank in Abuja.

Emefiele, who was cleared by the Senate on March 26, is the 10^th Governor of the apex Bank. He arrived at the CBN Headquarters at 7:30 a.m. to the warm embrace of the four Deputy Governors and expectant staff led by Dr. (Mrs.) Sarah Alade, whose tenure as Acting Governor ended yesterday, June 2, 2014.

At the brief handing over ceremony, the new Governor thanked the erstwhile Acting Governor and the other Deputy Governors as well as members of the media for gracing his formal assumption of office.

Emefiele, according to a statement signed on behalf of CBN’s Director of Communications by Isaac A. Okorafor, is expected to have a maiden World Press Conference on Thursday, June 5, where he will unveil his “agenda for the Central Bank of Nigeria and the people of Nigeria”.

The immediate past Group managing Director of Zenith Bank Plc, Emefiele brings to his new role over 20 years of banking management experience. Emefiele is a 1984 graduate of Finance and an MBA degree in Finance in 1986, both from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. He is also an alumnus of Executive Education at Stanford University, Harvard University (2004) and Wharton Graduate School of Business (2005).

Emefiele’s assumption of duty for a five-year term effectively brings to an end the era of Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, who was suspended by President Goodluck Jonathan in February.

•Photo shows new CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele taking over from Acting Governor Sarah Alade . . . today at CBN Headquarters, Abuja.