NIGERIA – Vitafoam Nigeria Plc, one of Nigeria’s largest foam manufacturers has appointed Achike Charles Umunna as a Non-Executive Director of the Board, effective from December 19, 2019.

This is according to a statement released by the firm to the Nigerian Stock Exchange and signed by company secretary, Lekan Sanni.

Umunna obtained a Bachelor’s degree in law from the University of Nigeria Nsukka in 1982 and graduated from the Nigerian Law School in 1983.

He later obtained a Master Degree in law from the University of Lagos in 1985.

A Knight of the Catholic Church, Umunna is a fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Management Consultants and holds a certificate in international arbitration from the University of Rome Tre.

He has been actively engaged in legal practice for over 35 years and has a wealth of experience in both the public and the private sectors.

He started his legal career from the then National Assembly, Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos where he was the Secretary to the Rules and Business Committee of the House of Representatives and later as legal officer with the Ministry of Defence, Defence Headquarters Lagos.

He went into private practice with the law firm of Chuka Okoli and Associates before establishing the firm of Achike Umunna and Associates in 1986.

Among other fields of practice, Umunna has acquired expertise in the field of maritime, petroleum , international trade laws and practices having worked as a legal consultant in China, Bulgaria, Romania, United Kingdom, USA, Germany and Japan.

Vitafoam was founded in 1962 by British Vita in a partnership with local distributor G.B. Ollivant.

Production of latex foam pillows and mattresses began in 1963 at Ikeja Industrial Estate and the company has over the years expanded its product offering by investing in modern sleep options.

These sleep options are now managed by four of its subsidiaries: Vitapur, Vitagreen, Vitavisco and Vitablom.[4] Vitapaur offers insulation friendly building materials[5]

In 2011, it entered into a strategic alliance with struggling competitor, Vono Products before purchasing the company.

The purchase of Vono Products increased the company share of the furniture market and today the company has expanded its operations in West Africa and now owns interest in Vitafoam Ghana and Vitafoam Sierra Leone.