Aderemi Makanjuola, the chairman of Caverton Offshore Support Group, was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the University of Leicester 2026 Alumni Awards Dinner. The event took place at the National Space Centre in Leicester, United Kingdom, a venue known for its extraordinary ambiance. Surrounded by former classmates, friends, and family, including his wife Alhaja Yoyinsola Makanjuola and his children Olabode, Niyi, and Rotimi, Makanjuola accepted the award. His daughter Lolade was unavoidably absent.
The award, decided by the Advancement Awards Sub-Committee and nominated by university colleagues, recognizes alumni whose lives have demonstrated sustained, transformative impact across multiple domains. It is not given lightly, and Makanjuola was deemed a deserving recipient. Speaking 50 years after graduating with a Second-class upper division degree in Economics, he expressed gratitude to the Alumni Relations team, acknowledged his wife whom he married in his graduation year, and celebrated enduring friendships from half a century ago. He also mentioned his eldest son, who followed him to Leicester.
A Silent Achiever with Profound Influence
The University of Leicester's official biography describes Makanjuola as a 'silent achiever,' whose influence is felt through strengthened institutions and countless uplifted lives. His silence is not absence but discipline, allowing his work to speak. In a culture that often confuses loudness with leadership, Makanjuola has modeled a different path. Fifty years after graduation, he has become a changemaker whose life impacts humanity across multiple domains.
Makanjuola built his empires first in banking, then dominated shipping and aviation industries. During his acceptance speech, he remarked, 'My connection to Leicester runs deep. My eldest son followed in my footsteps. The friendships I made 50 years ago are still alive today. Some are here tonight. That is the measure of an institution and bonds forged in youth.'
Early Life and Education
Born Aderemi Muyinudeen Makanjuola on November 24, 1948, in Lagos, his intellectual formation began at Ahmadiyya College, Agege, where he became Senior Prefect in the 1969/70 academic year. This early leadership signal defined his life. Known simply as 'Mr,' he holds multiple honors but remains humble. His higher education started at the University of Sofia in Bulgaria in 1971 for language studies, fostering intellectual curiosity. He arrived at the University of Leicester in 1973 to study Economics, graduating in 1976 with a BA (Honours) Second Class Upper Division. A year later, he earned a Master of Science in Manpower Planning from the University of Manchester.
Banking Career and Transition to Entrepreneurship
Returning to Nigeria in 1977, Makanjuola began as a Youth Corps member at Union Bank of Nigeria's Kano branch. He spent over two decades in banking, rising from Corporate Finance Officer to Deputy Manager in Recruitment and Manpower Planning. He moved to DEVCOM Merchant Bank as Assistant General Manager in 1989, becoming General Manager in 1990, Executive Director in 1992, and Executive Vice-Chairman by 1994. He also chaired FBNBank Senegal from 2014 to 2020. Two decades in banking honed his ability to identify opportunities early. In 1999, at age 51, he left banking to build Le Global Oilfield Services and Caverton Marine Limited, entering offshore logistics. Caverton Helicopters Limited followed in 2002, and in 2008, he consolidated ventures into Caverton Offshore Support Group Plc. In May 2014, the group listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange, a milestone for African logistics companies.
Contributions to Security and Education
Makanjuola's impact extends beyond business. From 2007 to 2015, he served as pioneer Chairman of the Lagos State Security Trust Fund, a public-private partnership modernizing security infrastructure. His philanthropic efforts include donating 500-seater lecture theatres to three Nigerian universities between 2014 and 2018. In 2019 and 2020, he funded Molecular Biology Diagnostic Laboratories at Lagos State University College of Medicine and Edo State University. He donated dialysis machines to St. Nicholas Hospital and funded scholarships. Through Caverton's aviation infrastructure, he trained over 200 pilots and engineers. In 2019, he became Chancellor of Edo State University, pledging automatic employment to the best-graduating student each year. His approach reflects a belief that education should open doors to knowledge and opportunity.
The University of Leicester's nomination bio for the Lifetime Achievement Award reads: 'His approach reflects a lifelong belief that education should open doors, not only to knowledge, but to opportunity.'
