Profile of Modupe Olusola, a trailblazer in hospitality

News360 Nigeria archives in this post, the biography and career achievements of Transcorp Hotels CEO, Modupe Olusola.

Modupe Olusola is a prominent Nigerian business executive currently serving as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Transcorp Hotels Plc, a subsidiary of Transnational Corporation of Nigeria.

She became the second woman to lead the company when she was appointed in March 2020.

Profile overview

Name: Modupe Olusola

Born: September 26, 1974

Birthplace: Lagos, Nigeria

Education: University of Leicester

Spouse: Lanre Olusola

Career: Business executive

Birth

Dupe Olusola was born into a Yoruba family in Lagos State on September 26th, 1974.

Academic journey

Olusola attended Queen’s College in Lagos, where she completed her GCE O-levels in 1991.

She went on to earn her Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Leicester in 1996, followed by a Master’s degree in Development Economics from the University of Kent in 1997.

Career

Her early career saw her working with prestigious international firms like Bloomberg and Northern Trust in the UK before returning to Nigeria. There, she worked with Afrinvest and Africa Capital Alliance, eventually joining UBA in 2008.

Before joining Transcorp Hotels, Olusola held the position of Group Head of Marketing at United Bank for Africa (UBA), where she led marketing efforts across UBA’s operations in 23 countries.

She also served as Managing Director and CEO of Teragro Commodities Limited, the agribusiness arm of Transcorp, from 2014 to 2018.

Under her leadership at Teragro, she secured 10,000 hectares of farmland in Benue State and led a successful partnership with Coca-Cola to supply local raw materials for the production of Five Alive Pulpy Orange Juice.

Her leadership at Teragro earned her a spot on Ventures Africa’s list of the “10 Most Influential Nigerian CEOs” in 2015.

United Bank for Africa (UBA)

In 2018, Olusola was appointed Group Head of Marketing at UBA, overseeing integrated marketing strategies for both the bank and its subsidiaries. Her return to UBA followed her time as the CEO of Teragro, where she had left a remarkable legacy.

Leadership at Transcorp Hotels Plc

Olusola took the helm at Transcorp Hotels Plc in 2020, managing its flagship properties including Transcorp Hilton Abuja and Transcorp Hotels Calabar.

Under her leadership, the hotel chain launched Aura, an online platform for booking accommodation and experiences, in 2021.

She has also made significant strides in hospitality innovation, earning recognition in various hospitality and leadership awards.

Personal life

Olusola is married to life coach Lanre Olusola, and they have two children. In celebration of her 50th birthday, she launched an NGO dedicated to supporting education for vulnerable children from low-income families in Nigeria.

Modupe Olusola together with her husband and children

Recognitions

Olusola’s remarkable contributions have earned her numerous accolades. She has been recognized on Leading Ladies Africa’s “100 Most Inspiring Women in Nigeria” list and was named among the top 4 women in Africa at the Strategic Women in Leadership Award in 2021.

In 2022, she was named one of the “100 Most Powerful People in Africa Hospitality” by the International Hospitality Institute.

Her honors continued in 2023, as she was named CEO of the Year by Nigeria’s Leadership Newspaper and the Seven Stars Luxury Hospitality and Lifestyle Awards.

In 2024, she was inducted into the Seven Stars Pantheon of Hospitality after being named “7 Stars Woman of the Year.”

Additionally, she received the Guardian Wonder Women Award for Innovative Entrepreneurship & Careers, further solidifying her status as a leader in the African hospitality sector.

Net worth

Modupe Olusola is estimated to be worth approximately $5 million. This estimate stems from her extensive career spanning various high-profile roles.