Ujunwa Chukwumah has assumed the role of General Manager, West Africa, at Reckitt, marking a new chapter in the career of one of Nigeria’s experienced consumer-goods executives.

Chukwumah officially began the new assignment on September 15, 2026, after nearly two decades in the fast-moving consumer goods sector.

In her new position, she will lead Reckitt’s West African business while working with employees, customers and commercial partners to expand the company’s presence and strengthen business performance across the region.

She said the appointment represents an opportunity to understand the business and its markets more deeply before turning those insights into sustainable growth.

According to Chukwumah, her approach will centre on listening to employees and customers, understanding consumer needs and building strategies that translate market opportunities into measurable results.

The new role also carries personal significance for Chukwumah.

She becomes the first Nigerian woman to head Reckitt’s West Africa business, a milestone she said she accepts with pride and a strong sense of responsibility.

She also expressed hope that her career progression would encourage more women to pursue senior management positions and take advantage of leadership opportunities within the corporate sector.

Chukwumah joins Reckitt after a lengthy career at Diageo and Procter & Gamble, where she held several commercial and leadership positions across Nigeria and other African markets.

Before moving to Reckitt, she served as Commercial Director for Diageo’s South, West and Central Africa operations.

She assumed that position in July 2024 and was responsible for the company’s operations across West and Central Africa.

Previously, she served as General Manager for Mainstream Spirits and Ready-to-Drink at Diageo from July 2021 to June 2024.

In that capacity, she focused on sales performance, shipment and depletion targets, as well as the expansion of the company’s brands in the Nigerian market.

Earlier, between October 2019 and June 2021, Chukwumah worked as Diageo’s Associate Director for Route to Consumer in Nigeria.

Her responsibilities included shaping distribution structures, developing channel strategies, reviewing pricing and portfolio plans, strengthening distributor performance and improving market coverage.

She also led initiatives aimed at transforming Diageo’s distributor network, improving commercial execution and developing stronger partnerships with key customers.

Before joining Diageo, Chukwumah spent more than a decade at Procter & Gamble, where she moved through a series of sales, distribution, strategy and market-development roles.

At P&G, she served as Group Manager for Distributor Operations and E-commerce Leader in Nigeria from January 2017 to October 2019.

She also worked as Field District Manager for Western Nigeria and Distributor Operations Manager, where she focused on expanding product availability and strengthening distributor capabilities.

Earlier in her P&G career, she served as Country Manager and Corporate Market Strategy & Planning Manager for Sub-Saharan Africa.

She was involved in market-entry initiatives in countries including Madagascar, Mauritius and South Sudan, while also overseeing sales, distribution and trade-spending objectives across the region.

She began her P&G journey as a Key Account Manager in Lagos in 2007 before progressing through regional sales and strategic management positions.

Chukwumah holds a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Computer Engineering from the University of Benin, where she graduated with first-class honours in 2006.

Her professional expertise spans distribution management, business planning, sales, business development, commercial strategy and FMCG operations.

As she begins her tenure at Reckitt, Chukwumah has indicated that her immediate focus will be on understanding the organisation, strengthening relationships and working with stakeholders to deliver sustainable growth.

Her appointment therefore adds another significant chapter to a career built around sales leadership, route-to-market development, distribution expansion and commercial transformation across African consumer markets.