This article was produced with the support of Access Bank plc
Providing leadership at the highest level of Access Bank, the flagship banking subsidiary of Access Holdings, is Ifeyinwa Osime, Chairperson of the Board. Her stewardship reinforces the Group’s commitment to strong corporate governance, diversity, and long-term value creation. As Chairperson, she sets the tone for inclusive leadership across Access Bank, ensuring that performance, ethical standards, and people development remain central to the organisation’s growth strategy.
Access Bank has long championed gender inclusion as both policy and movement. By prioritising talent and leadership potential, the institution has woven equity into its culture. Programmes such as the W Initiative and the Power of 100 Programme, dedicated to identifying and celebrating the Top 100 Women in leadership, have positioned the Group as a standard-setter for gender equity in corporate Nigeria and across Africa.
At the heart of the banking group’s leadership is Chizoma Okoli, Deputy Managing Director at Access Bank, who plays a pivotal role in shaping strategy and driving execution. With nearly three decades of experience across commercial and retail banking, she is a passionate advocate for financial inclusion and sustainable growth, consistently aligning business performance with long-term value creation.
Within Access Holdings, Bolaji Agbede, Executive Director, Business Support, brings extensive banking experience to the Group, strengthening organisational effectiveness, driving innovation, and embedding inclusive leadership practices across the enterprise.
In Corporate and Investment Banking, Iyabo Soji Okusanya, Executive Director, Corporate & Investment Banking, stands out for her strategic foresight and expertise in structuring complex transactions. A trailblazer in a traditionally male-dominated space, she is deeply committed to mentoring and developing the next generation of female finance professionals.
Leading the Commercial Banking Group, Hadiza Ambursa, Executive Director, champions entrepreneurship and enterprise growth, ensuring that SMEs and large corporates across markets have access to capital, advisory and tailored financial solutions.
Beyond Nigeria, women leaders are shaping Access Bank’s continental strategy and operational excellence across more than 15 African markets. At the Africa Office, Musonda Chishimba, Head, Africa Subsidiaries Operations, leads the harmonisation of systems, processes and controls across subsidiaries, ensuring scalable, efficient and resilient operations. Complementing this effort, Emma Mugisha, Head, Retail and Digital Banking, African Subsidiaries, drives the rollout of digital banking platforms and customer-centric solutions that deepen financial inclusion across diverse markets.
Brand, reputation and stakeholder engagement across the continent are guided by Barbara Ezeife, Head, Marketing and Communications, African Subsidiaries, who aligns brand strategy with business growth while strengthening sustainability and ESG communications across markets. Customer experience excellence is led by Adenike Durodola, Head, Customer Experience, African Subsidiaries, who drives service consistency, Voice of Customer programmes and journey optimisation across borders.
Across West, East, Central and Southern Africa, women serve as Board Chairs, Managing Directors, Executive Directors and Country Operating Officers. From Ama Sarpong Bawuah, Chairperson, Access Bank Ghana, to Pearl Nkrumah, Managing Director, Access Bank Ghana, and Claudine Gasarabwe, Chairperson, Access Bank Rwanda, women provide strong governance oversight and strategic leadership tailored to local market realities.
In markets such as Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Angola, Mozambique, Sierra Leone, The Gambia, Cameroon, Botswana, South Africa and the Democratic Republic of Congo, women leaders oversee wholesale banking, retail and digital banking, operations, finance, risk, audit, sustainability and public sector engagement, ensuring that Access Bank’s pan-African growth is underpinned by strong governance, disciplined execution and inclusive leadership.
Driving financial resilience across emerging markets, Sunmbo Olatunji, CEO, Caribbean Expansion, leads the Bank’s strategy across island economies while mentoring the next generation of banking professionals. Ibukun Oyedeji, Chief Finance Officer, brings global financial expertise to strategic financial management and operational excellence.
Across key business segments, women continue to shape growth and innovation. Njideka Esomeju, Group Head, Consumer Banking, expands access through innovative retail solutions, while Abiodun Olubitan, Group Head, SME Banking, leads strategies that strengthen small and medium-sized enterprises across markets.
Championing financial inclusion for women is Nene Kunle-Ogunlusi, an accomplished banking professional with over two decades of experience spanning retail banking, customer service, commercial banking, private banking and wealth management. A Chartered Banker with a degree in Economics and an MSc in Finance and Investment, she currently serves as Group Head, Women Banking at the bank, where she leads initiatives designed to deepen financial inclusion and drive economic empowerment for women in Nigeria and across Sub-Saharan Africa.
Operational excellence and governance remain central pillars of the Group’s strategy. Omobola Faleye, Group Head, Internal Audit, plays a critical role in strengthening governance, risk oversight and internal controls across the Bank. Similarly, Inyang Etim, Acting Chief Compliance Officer, safeguards the integrity of the Bank’s operations. With over 25 years of experience spanning compliance, operations and administration, she has led large-scale transformation initiatives, strengthened regulatory frameworks and cultivated a strong culture of compliance.
Driving commercial-focused growth is Vashti Samdi, Group Head, Commercial Banking Group. A seasoned banking and marketing professional with nearly two decades of experience, she leads strategic initiatives across products, channels, and customer engagement to expand the bank’s commercial footprint and deepen client relationships.
At the heart of operational excellence is Folusho Adedeji, Group Head, Corporate Operations. With over 25 years of banking experience, she has been instrumental in simplifying complex processes, leading transformational system upgrades across African subsidiaries and strengthening enterprise-wide operational resilience.
Strengthening brand visibility is Oge Kasie Nwachukwu, Head, Strategic Communications, Events and Sponsorships. A brand and communications strategist with over a decade of experience spanning legal practice, corporate communications, media relations and project management, she leads high-impact platforms that elevate the Bank’s profile locally and globally, alongside Folayemi Oyebade, Head, Retail Communications, a seasoned brand and event management professional who plays a key role in amplifying Access Bank’s retail narrative.
Delivering customer-centric service excellence is Nellie Oghenekohwo, a seasoned professional with nearly two decades of experience across oil and gas, advertising, telecommunications, banking and online markets. With deep expertise in customer management, customer care strategy, quality management, contact centre operations and business process improvement, she plays a critical role in strengthening customer experience frameworks and driving service transformation within the organisation.
In the fintech ecosystem, Kemi Okusanya, Managing Director of Hydrogen Payment Services Company, is transforming digital payments across Africa. Abimbola Suleiman, Acting Managing Director, Access ARM Pensions, steers investment strategy with deep expertise in asset management and global markets. Favour Femi Oyewole, Chief Security Information Officer, safeguards the digital ecosystem through world-class cybersecurity and risk management, while Esther Graham drives the sustainability agenda, embedding responsible practices into the Group’s core operations.
Through deliberate policies, bold initiatives and visible leadership pathways across Nigeria and its African subsidiaries, Access Holdings Group has built a powerful framework for women to thrive. These leaders embody an unwavering commitment to equity, mentorship and the belief that talent knows no gender.
As the financial industry continues to evolve, the women of Access are breaking barriers and setting new benchmarks for leadership, governance and impact across Africa and beyond.