President Bola Tinubu has appointed Ayo Sotinrin as the new Managing Director of the Bank of Agriculture (BOA), with immediate effect. This was disclosed in a statement released on Friday by the President’s spokesman, Bayo Onanuga saying Sotinrin brings a diverse and extensive background in both the private and public sectors to his new role. Before his appointment, he served as Group Chief Executive Officer of SAO Group. His leadership at SAO Agro, an agribusiness company, was marked by groundbreaking initiatives, including the development of a 20,000-hectare oil palm plantation and large-scale poultry, aquaculture, maize, and cassava operations in Ondo State. He also led SAO Capital, where he raised over $750 million in infrastructure and development finance, including the landmark $200 million Akure Water Supply Project. In the public sector, Sotinrin served as Special Adviser on Environment and Urban Development to the Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory from 2011 to 2015. He has consulted extensively for global development partners such as the World Bank, African Development Bank (AfDB), UK Department for International Development (DFID), and USAID, playing key advisory roles on projects at both Federal and State levels. His international experience includes roles at the Royal Bank of Scotland International, Deutsche Bank, and the UK Environment Agency. Sotinrin holds an Executive MBA from Saïd Business School, Oxford University; an Advanced Diploma in Environmental Conservation; and a Master’s in Engineering Business Management from Warwick University. His appointment aligns with the Tinubu administration’s strategy to revitalize Nigeria’s agricultural sector. “Mr. Sotinrin’s proven ability to mobilize capital, innovate in agribusiness, and collaborate across sectors will be instrumental in repositioning the Bank of Agriculture as a catalyst for food security, sovereignty, and rural prosperity,” President Tinubu emphasized.