‘Full female participation at the highest levels’

How has your professional journey prepared you for the role of Group Managing Director and CEO, and what barriers did you overcome as a woman rising to the top of a major financial institution?

My journey to becoming Group Managing Director and CEO of Zenith Bank has been defined by discipline, strategic execution and consistent performance. Rising through the ranks gave me deep exposure to the Bank’s governance model, risk management, operations and stakeholder engagement. Each stage strengthened my ability to lead with clarity, accountability and long-term vision.

As a woman in a traditionally male-dominated industry, I encountered subtle biases and structural barriers. However, rather than focus on those limitations, I concentrated on preparation and results because I understood early that credibility would be earned through competence and consistency. Over time, my track record became my strongest advocate. It is also worthy of note that Zenith Bank’s merit-driven culture ensured that my leadership progression was ultimately determined by capability and performance.

What is your long-term vision for advancing women in finance and leadership across Africa, and what message do you have for the next generation of female leaders?

My long-term vision is to build a financial ecosystem across Africa in which women are not exceptions in leadership but a natural presence at decision-making tables. I want to see more women leading institutions, shaping regulatory policy, building fintech platforms and influencing capital flows across the continent. Sustainable economic transformation requires full female participation at the highest levels.

To the next generation of female leaders, my message is simple: do not shrink your ambition. Invest in education, build competence and integrity, seek mentorship and remain resilient. When you earn your seat at the table, use it responsibly and create space for others.

What measurable steps has Zenith Bank taken to promote women into senior leadership roles within the institution?

At Zenith Bank, advancement is merit-based and supported by structured succession planning and leadership development programmes. Women occupy key executive, board-level and senior management roles, reflecting our commitment to inclusion at the highest levels of decision-making.

We have strengthened mentorship frameworks, implemented executive training initiatives and ensured inclusive recruitment and promotion policies. 

What are Zenith Bank’s most impactful female empowerment programmes across Africa, and what tangible outcomes have they delivered?

With over 94,000 banking agents nationwide – many of them women – we have expanded access to financial services for under-served communities, significantly strengthening retail participation. 

Additionally, we have financial products like the Z-Woman Initiative designed to empower female entrepreneurs and business owners across Sub-Saharan Africa. It offers tailored support, loans, free digital skills training and networking opportunities to enhance business exposure.

We have also empowered women through sports, exemplified by our sole sponsorship of the Zenith NBBF Nigerian Women Basketball League since 2004. The League thrives and has produced players who have turned out for the D’Tigress, the country’s national women’s basketball team.

The Zenith Pad-A-Queen initiative is another noteworthy empowerment project. Over the years we have sponsored menstrual education programmes across public and private schools in Nigeria, trained female facilitators and provided sanitary pads and hygiene kits for thousands of schoolgirls.

Beyond access, we provide tailored advisory services, capacity-building workshops and enterprise support initiatives for women-owned businesses. These programmes have enhanced financial literacy, improved governance in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and strengthened long-term sustainability across markets where we operate.

How is Zenith Bank expanding access to capital, digital banking and advisory services for women-led enterprises?

We have refined our lending frameworks to better support women-led enterprises, combining access to capital with structured advisory services that improve credit readiness and operational resilience. 

Through products like our Z-Woman initiative and innovations such as our AI-powered chatbot ZIVA and our fintech subsidiary Finopay, women entrepreneurs can transact, access support, and manage their businesses without the constraints of physical branch visits. For many women balancing business and family responsibilities, this flexibility is transformative. By leveraging technology strategically, we are breaking structural barriers and enabling broader economic participation.