2. Yemisi Edun
Success Stories
5 Powerful Women Leading Some of Nigeria’s Largest Banks
From Aishah Ahmad of CBN to Miriam Olusanya of GTBank, here are the top 5 powerful women leading some of Nigeria’s largest.
In this article, we will, however, discuss 5 powerful women leading some of the male-dominated largest banks in Nigeria. A mild revolution is happening in the Nigerian banking landscape, as women are beginning to wield significant power in a male-dominated world.
From Aishah Ahmad of CBN to Miriam Olusanya of GTBank, here are the top 5 powerful women who unseated men to lead the Nigerian banking sector:
1. Aishah Ahmad, CFA
Ahmad was confirmed as a Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in 2018. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from the University of Abuja, an MBA (Finance) from the University of Lagos and an M.Sc. Finance and Management from the Cranfield School of Management (UK).
Ahmad was the Executive Director of Retail Banking at Diamond Bank.
She joined Diamond Bank in June 2014 as a Deputy General Manager and the Head of the Retail Financial Services Division.
She also worked with Stanbic IBTC Holdings, Zenith Capital Limited, Bank of New York Mellon (UK), Synesix Financial Limited (UK), Zenith Bank Plc as Head, Retail Banking Unit, and NAL Bank Plc as Head, Private Banking.
Yemisi Edun holds a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from the University of Ife, Ile-Ife and a Master’s degree in International Accounting and Finance from the University of Liverpool, United Kingdom.
Edun became the Managing Director of First City Monument Bank Limited (FCMB) on July 13, 2021, after Adam Nuru’s reign ended in disgrace, with no thanks to a paternity scandal.
She previously served as the Executive Director/Chief Financial Officer of FCMB, then the acting Managing Director at the bank.
Yemisi Edun is the first woman to ever hold the position of managing director/chief executive officer of First City Monument Bank.
3. Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe
Onyeali-Ikpe holds a Bachelor of Law (LLB) degree from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and a Master of Law (LLM) degree from Kings’ College, London.
She is the first female MD of Fidelity Bank; she was appointed Managing Director of Fidelity Bank in July 2020 and kicked off her tenure in January 2021. Having joined the bank’s board in 2015 as an Executive Director.
She possesses 30 years of experience working in various banks including Standard Chartered Bank, Zenith Bank and Citizens International Bank/Enterprise Bank, where she held management positions in legal, treasury, investment banking, retail/commercial banking and corporate banking.
4. Ireti Samuel-Ogbu
In the last 32 years, Ireti Samuel-Ogbu has held various roles across Citigroup’s businesses in the UK, Nigeria and South Africa, having worked in each of these countries twice. Her previous roles have included: Relationship Management with Global Subsidiaries Group and the Public Sector Banking Team, as well as TTS Sales, Corporate Finance and leading Citi’s TTS business in two of the largest markets in Africa.
She had been on the Board of Citibank Nigeria Limited since 2015 as a non-Executive Director.
However, in August 2020, Citigroup announced Ireti Samuel-Ogbu as its first female Country Officer for Nigeria i.e MD/CEO of Citibank Nigeria. Prior to assuming office in Nigeria, she served as managing director of payments and receivables, treasury and trade solutions for Europe, the Middle East and Africa at the group’s office in London.
5. Miriam Olusanya
Miriam Olusanya is the managing director of The Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc, the first woman to ever attain that position.
She holds a Bachelor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Ibadan (1995) and a Master of Business Administration (Finance and Accounting) from the University of Liverpool (2011).
More so, she joined the GTbank in 1998 and has been in charge of managing the Bank’s Naira and Foreign Currency Balance Sheet, Asset and Liability Position as well as Money Market, Foreign Currency and Bonds Trading. She was an executive trainee before she rose to the position of general manager.
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