Celebrated diplomat, elder statesman Arthur Mbanefo dies at 95

Nigeria has lost one of its most respected professionals and elder statesmen with the death of Arthur Christopher Mbanefo, a renowned accountant, diplomat and educationist.

Reports say Mbanefo died on Monday, December 2, 2025, aged 95. His passing marks the end of a life devoted to public service, professional excellence and the strengthening of institutions in Nigeria and beyond.

Widely regarded as one of the country’s foremost accountants, Mbanefo combined professional distinction with public responsibility. He served as Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations and later became Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council of three leading federal universities – the University of Lagos, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, and Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. He was a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales as well as the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN).

Born on June 11, 1930, in Onitsha, Anambra State, Mbanefo received his early education at St. Patrick’s College, Calabar. He later trained in the United Kingdom, qualifying as a chartered accountant in the mid-1950s, before returning to Nigeria to help build a nascent but fast-growing professional sector.

Popularly known as the Odu of Onitsha, Mbanefo began his career at Akintola Williams & Company, Nigeria’s oldest indigenous accountancy firm, where he worked from 1961 to 1986. He rose through the ranks to become senior partner, earning a reputation for diligence, integrity and sound judgement. After leaving the firm, he established a management consultancy that provided financial and corporate advisory services to governments, businesses and international organisations.

His tenure as President of ICAN in 1978 remains one of the highlights of his professional life. Under his leadership, the institute completed and commissioned its secretariat in April 1979. He also represented ICAN internationally, serving on the governing boards of the International Federation of Accountants and the International Accounting Standards Committee, where he contributed to the development of global accounting standards.

Beyond his professional calling, Mbanefo played influential roles in corporate governance and national accountability. He sat on the boards of several major Nigerian companies and financial institutions and was known for his calm authority and analytical rigour. He also served on the Justice Ayo Irikefe Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the finances of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, where his expertise helped shed light on complex financial matters.

Education occupied a central place in Mbanefo’s public life. As Pro-Chancellor of the University of Lagos (1984–1986), Obafemi Awolowo University (1986–1990) and Ahmadu Bello University (1990–1993), he was credited with strengthening institutional governance and upholding academic standards during challenging periods for Nigeria’s university system.

In 1999, he was appointed Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations by President Olusegun Obasanjo. At the UN headquarters in New York, Mbanefo represented Nigeria on key global issues, engaging world leaders on peace, development and human rights, and enhancing the country’s diplomatic profile.

His contributions earned him numerous national and international honours, including the Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR), Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON), Commander of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Italy, and Grand Officer of Brazil’s National Order of the Southern Cross.

Mbanefo was also a noted philanthropist. In 2020, to celebrate his 90th birthday, he donated the Arthur Mbanefo Digital Research Centre to the University of Lagos, underscoring his enduring belief in education and research as drivers of national development.