British American Tobacco Nigeria has appointed Ruth Owojaiye as Director, Corporate & Regulatory Affairs, handing her responsibility for a function that sits at the centre of the company’s dealings with government, regulators and other stakeholders. The company said she will lead work on government relations, public policy, corporate communications, sustainability and stakeholder engagement.
The appointment gives Owojaiye a broader remit after serving as Head, Regulatory Engagements for BAT West & Central Africa. BAT Nigeria’s Managing Director, Yarub Al-Bahrani, said the move reflects the company’s push to strengthen leadership in regulatory engagement, corporate governance and sustainable business practices, and said her experience makes her well suited to lead the function at a critical time for the business and the industry.
Owojaiye brings more than 20 years of experience across manufacturing, consulting, taxation and public policy. Before joining BAT Nigeria, she held senior leadership roles at Nigerian Breweries Plc, where she served as Senior Regulatory Affairs Manager and Group Tax Manager. She also played a role in the merger between Nigerian Breweries Plc and Consolidated Breweries Plc, contributed to precedent-setting Tax Appeal Tribunal cases and secured landmark tax holiday approval. Earlier, she worked at KPMG Nigeria, where she led major tax advisory engagements and supported the entry of multinational consumer brands into Nigeria.
Her academic record includes a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Ilorin, where she graduated as the best student in 2003, a Master of Laws from the University of Pretoria in 2007 and an MBA from Lagos Business School, where she again graduated as the best student in 2025. She is also a member of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria, the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria, the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations and the Nigerian Institute of Management.
The appointment comes as BAT Nigeria pushes for stronger governance, regulatory excellence and responsible business practices in a heavily regulated sector. Owojaiye’s background in regulatory compliance, taxation, public policy and external affairs now places her at the centre of that effort, where the company’s licence to operate, reputation and ESG agenda will all depend on how effectively she manages the line between business goals and regulatory scrutiny.
Owojaiye said she was honoured to take on the role at a pivotal time for business, regulation and sustainability, and said she wanted to work with stakeholders across sectors to promote balanced regulation, deepen engagement and strengthen constructive dialogue. Her appointment now answers BAT Nigeria’s immediate need: it has placed one of its most experienced regulatory hands in charge of a function that will shape how the company is seen, heard and judged in the months ahead.
