Dr. Awele Vivien Elumelu has been appointed chair of the board of Transcorp Hotels Plc, one of Nigeria’s most influential hospitality companies, with her tenure set to begin on January 1, 2026. The appointment elevates a seasoned healthcare executive, investor, and philanthropist to the leadership of a company that sits at the heart of Nigeria’s luxury hospitality and business tourism ecosystem.

Transcorp Hotels Plc is the hospitality subsidiary of Transnational Corporation Plc (Transcorp Group), a listed Nigerian conglomerate with interests spanning power, energy, and hospitality. Quoted on the Nigerian Exchange under the ticker TRANSCOHOT, the company has delivered strong market performance, recording a 34.1 percent year-to-date stock gain as of December 15, 2025, and reaching a market capitalisation exceeding ₦1.59 trillion (about $4.2 billion).

The company’s flagship asset is the Transcorp Hilton Abuja, widely regarded as Nigeria’s premier business hotel. Its portfolio also includes Aura by Transcorp Hotels and the recently launched Transcorp Event Centre, a 5,000-seat entertainment and conference arena designed to host large-scale events.

In 2025, Transcorp Hotels received several international and domestic awards, including recognition as Africa’s leading business hotel brand.

Dr. Elumelu, who recently turned 55, is the founder of Avon Healthcare Limited, one of Nigeria’s leading health maintenance organisations, and the chief executive officer of Avon Medical Practice, a growing network of hospitals and clinics.

She holds a medical degree from the University of Benin and has practised medicine in both Nigeria and the United Kingdom. Her executive training includes programmes at Harvard Business School, IMD Business School in Switzerland, and the London School of Economics.

Beyond healthcare, she plays a central role in Nigeria’s corporate sector. She chairs Heirs Insurance Brokers and is a founding director of Heirs Holdings Limited, the investment company with interests across financial services, power, energy, hospitality, and technology.

She also owns a significant 5.1 percent stake in Transcorp Plc, valued at approximately ₦87 billion (around $230 million) based on the company’s December 16, 2025 closing price. This blend of boardroom leadership and substantial equity positions her as one of the most influential female investors on the Nigerian Exchange.

Dr. Elumelu is also widely recognised for her global advocacy work. In 2018, she was appointed Private Sector Champion for Immunization in Africa by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, where she has promoted vaccine access and public–private partnerships across the continent.

She serves on the advisory board of the Yale Institute for Global Health and is a strong advocate of Africapitalism, a development philosophy that emphasises long-term private-sector investment as a driver of social and economic progress, particularly for women and children. Outside her professional life, she is known as a committed marathon runner.

As of late 2025, Dr. Elumelu is ranked among Nigeria’s wealthiest female investors, alongside figures such as Abolanle Matel-Okoh, Joy Teluwo, and Adaora Umeoji.

Her appointment as chair of Transcorp Hotels further reinforces the Elumelu family’s expanding footprint across Nigeria’s strategic sectors, including power generation, energy, finance, and hospitality.

Her husband, Tony O. Elumelu, is a Nigerian billionaire financier and founder of Heirs Holdings. His business interests span United Bank for Africa (UBA), United Capital, Transcorp Power, Heirs Energies, oil and gas, real estate, healthcare, hospitality, and technology.

Public estimates place his net worth at approximately $2.15 billion, a significant rise from earlier valuations a decade ago.

Together, Tony and Awele Elumelu have built one of the most influential business and philanthropic legacies on the continent. Since Heirs Holdings acquired a controlling interest in Transcorp Plc in 2011, the group has expanded aggressively into power generation while repositioning Transcorp Hotels as a dominant force in Nigeria’s hospitality industry. Dr. Elumelu’s appointment signals continuity in that strategy, while underscoring her growing stature as a leading figure in African corporate leadership.