Sahara Names Chidilim Menakaya Managing Director to Drive Next Phase of Growth

Bimpe Adebayo Sahara has appointed Chidilim Menakaya as its new Managing Director, entrusting the seasoned transformation and strategy executive with the responsibility of leading the company into its next phase of growth, innovation and impact. The appointment represents a significant step in Sahara’s ambition to advance its Beyond XXX vision, which is focused on shaping the company’s future through innovation, sustainability, responsible growth and shared value creation. Menakaya brings more than two decades of leadership experience spanning Africa, Asia, Europe and the Middle East. Her career has been marked by work in transformation, strategy, organisational development and sustainability, with a focus on building institutions and teams capable of delivering measurable and lasting results. Before her elevation to Managing Director, Menakaya served as Director of the Sahara Foundation, where she was responsible for driving the company’s sustainability and social impact agenda. During her tenure at the Foundation, she helped expand the reach of Sahara’s EXTRApreneurship model, strengthened strategic partnerships and supported initiatives aimed at deepening the company’s socio-economic impact in communities across its operating locations. Her appointment also builds on her reputation within the organisation as a collaborative leader with strong strategic insight and a demonstrated ability to develop high-performing teams. Sahara said Menakaya has consistently shown a commitment to people development, innovation and delivering tangible outcomes. Commenting on the appointment, Ade Odunsi, Executive Director, Sahara, said the decision reflects the company’s confidence in purposeful leadership and its commitment to developing its future from within. “For over three decades now, we have remained committed to our vision of bringing energy to life responsibly. Beyond XXX represents our commitment to shaping the future through bold thinking, innovation, sustainability, and shared value creation. Chidilim’s appointment reflects these aspirations. We are confident that under her leadership, Sahara will continue to expand the frontiers of impact and create sustainable value for stakeholders across our markets.” Odunsi said the appointment further demonstrates Sahara’s determination to build a resilient and future-focused enterprise capable of navigating an increasingly dynamic global business environment. In her new role, Menakaya is expected to provide strategic leadership as Sahara advances its Beyond XXX agenda, with particular emphasis on strengthening stakeholder value, driving innovation and positioning the company for sustained growth and greater global relevance. Her elevation also represents a continuation of Sahara’s approach to developing leadership talent from within the organisation, while aligning executive responsibility with the company’s broader ambitions for sustainability and long-term value creation. Menakaya has undertaken executive and professional training at several leading international institutions, including London Business School, INSEAD and Manchester Business School. She is also a certified Human Resources Business Partner, Transformation and Reputation Manager, as well as a Prosci-certified Change Management Practitioner. With her combination of international experience, transformation expertise and previous leadership of Sahara’s social impact platform, her appointment comes as the company seeks to translate its Beyond XXX ambition into its next chapter of organisational growth and impact.