As the global community commemorates International Women’s Day 2026, the celebrationextends beyond symbolism to substance. It is a moment to spotlight women who are not merelyadapting to economic shifts but are actively redefining the systems that shape opportunity, enterprise, and growth. Among The Guardian’s 100 Inspiring and Award-winning Amazons is Toyin Olufon, Principal Partner of Lefort Consulting Limited, a distinguished professional whose workbridges accounting, taxation, regulatory advisory, and financial technology with remarkable clarity of purpose.

In an era where the business landscape is increasingly complex and technology-driven, Olufon represents a new generation of African leaders who combine technical mastery with ecosystem thinking. Her career reflects a deliberate commitment to building institutions, empoweringprofessionals, and strengthening the frameworks that enable sustainable economic development.

Foundations of Enterprise and Early Exposure
Mrs Toyin Olufon’s journey into consulting and financial strategy did not begin in a boardroom. It began with early exposure to the practical realities of business. Immersed in enterprise from ayoung age, she developed a deep appreciation for the discipline, courage, and resilience requiredto build and sustain ventures. That lived experience continues to inform her advisory philosophy.

For Olufon, consulting is not confined to spreadsheets, policy reviews, or compliance checklists. Itis a mission to help businesses design systems that endure. Having witnessed firsthand the pressures entrepreneurs face, she approaches her clients with empathy as well as expertise. This balance of practicality and professionalism has become one of her defining strengths. Her academic and professional credentials reinforce that strength. She is a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (UK), an Associate of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, and an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria. She is also an alumna of INSEAD, one of the world’s leading business schools. These accomplishments reflect not only intellectual rigour but a sustained dedication to continuous learning.

Yet beyond qualifications lies impact. As a Mandela Washington Fellowship Fellow, Olufon expanded her influence beyond advisory services into capacity building and social transformation. She recognised that Africa’s economic growth depends not only on strong institutions but also on well-equipped professionals.

The Birth of The Techy Accountant
This conviction gave rise to The Techy Accountant, an initiative designed to prepare accounting and finance professionals for the demands of a technology-driven future. Through structured training programmes, internships, and strategic partnerships, the initiative has trained over 7,000 individuals across Africa. More than numbers, however, it represents lives transformed. Participants gain access to international exposure, digital skills, and practical advisory competencies that position them competitively in global markets. By bridging the gap between local talent and international opportunity, Olufon is contributing to a more inclusive and globally relevant workforce.

The initiative also signals a broader shift in her thinking. She understands that the future of accounting is inseparable from technology. Automation, digital taxation platforms, regulatory tech solutions, and cross-border advisory services are reshaping the profession. Preparing young professionals for that future is not optional; it is essential.

Leadership Beyond Titles
In a business culture where leadership is often equated with hierarchy, Olufon offers a different perspective. For her, leadership is a continuous process of learning, unlearning, and recalibration. It is defined by service rather than status. She frequently emphasises that technical excellence, though indispensable, is insufficient on its own. True leadership requires the ability to translate knowledge into practical, scalable solutions. It demands the humility to listen, the courage to innovate, and the discipline to execute consistently. This philosophy underpins her work within the AccounTech ecosystem across Nigeria and the broader African continent. By championing collaboration between accountants, regulators, and technology innovators, she is helping to shape conversations about the future of compliance and financial governance.

Initiatives such as the AccounTech Summit International serve as platforms where industry leaders converge to address emerging regulatory challenges and technological advancements. Similarly, SimpleTax.ng reflects her commitment to simplifying taxation processes for everyday Nigerians through digital innovation. In a country where tax systems can appear complex and intimidating, such solutions represent meaningful progress. At the heart of her strategic decisions lies a guiding question: How does this strengthen the ecosystem and create opportunities for others? That question has become both compass and filter, ensuring that growth is inclusive rather than insular.

Building with Intention in a Changing Economy
Nigeria’s regulatory and financial landscape is dynamic. Policy reforms, technological disruptions, and shifting global standards require agility and foresight. Olufon approaches these realities not as obstacles but as catalysts for innovation. Maintaining high professional standards amid constant change requires intentionality.

She prioritises clarity of vision over volume of activity. Rather than pursuing growth for its own sake, she focuses on initiatives that deliver measurable, long-term value. Her leadership style is collaborative. She believes sustainable success is built on strong teams, trusted partnerships, and shared ownership. At Lefort Consulting Limited, responsibilities are distributed strategically, empowering team members to take initiative while maintaining rigorous standards. Central to this approach isself-awareness. Olufon recognises that leadership begins with personal
grounding. By investing in her own growth and maintaining ethical clarity, she ensures that her organisation reflects consistency, integrity, and excellence.

Confronting and Redefining Industry Norms
The consulting and financial advisory sectors remain demanding environments, often shaped by long-standing perceptions about authority and expertise. As a woman navigating complex advisory engagements, Olufon has encountered the subtle biases that can accompany such spaces. She acknowledges that, at times, competence had to be demonstrated more visibly to earn equal confidence. However, rather than allowing these challenges to define her, she chose to let performance speak. Consistency, preparation, and results became her strongest advocates.

Leading a vision that integrates traditional accounting with emerging financial technology also required resilience. Innovation often meets resistance, particularly in industries rooted in established systems. By remaining grounded in purpose and committed to excellence, she has helped shift mindsets and expand possibilities. Her journey has become a pathway for other women aspiring to leadership in advisory and fintech sectors. Each barrier confronted has strengthened her resolve to create more inclusive professional spaces.

Lefort Consulting as a Platform for Empowerment
At Lefort Consulting Limited, empowerment is not a peripheral agenda; it is embedded in the organisational culture. Approximately 90 per cent of the firm’s workforce comprises young female professionals in the early stages of their careers. This is a deliberate design. Olufon envisions her firm as both a centre of technical excellence and a training ground for emerging leaders. Young professionals are exposed to high-level client engagements, regulatory
strategy sessions, and cross-functional collaborations that accelerate growth.

Recognising that empowerment must extend beyond corporate walls, she established The Lefort Foundation two years after founding the firm. The foundation drives the organisation’s corporate social responsibility initiatives and strengthens programmes such as The Techy Accountant. Through these efforts, women acquire technology-driven skills that prepare them for the future of work. They gain not only knowledge but also confidence, networks, and visibility. The objective is
clear: to position women as architects of policy, finance, and innovation rather than passive
participants.

Mentorship as Multiplication
For Olufon, mentorship represents a moral and strategic responsibility. She invests time in guiding young graduates and women re-entering the workforce, ensuring that opportunities are not limited by circumstance. Mentorship within her ecosystem is immersive. Mentees participate in client discussions, strategic planning sessions, and industry forums. They are challenged to think critically and contribute meaningfully.

The transformation she witnesses remains her greatest reward. Seeing individuals evolve from uncertainty to authority affirms her belief that potential, when nurtured, multiplies impact. In this way, mentorship becomes a force for systemic change rather than individual advancement alone.

Women as Engines of Economic Stability
Reflecting on Nigeria’s broader economy, Olufon identifies women as powerful stabilisers and innovators. Across sectors such as agriculture, technology, and professional services, women contribute significantly to productivity and resilience.
However, she argues that their impact is magnified when structural barriers are removed. Access to capital, quality education, leadership opportunities, and mentorship pipelines are essential ingredients for unlocking potential. When women are empowered, they reinvest in families, communities, and businesses, generating ripple effects that strengthen the national economy. Thus, gender inclusion is not merely a social ideal; it is an economic strategy. To harness this multiplier effect, Olufon advocates policies that expand financing options for female entrepreneurs, encourage digital literacy, and integrate women more fully into regulatory and financial decision-making processes.

A Message to the Next Generation
To young girls and women across Nigeria, Toyin Olufon offers a message anchored in courage and preparation. She encourages them to invest deeply in knowledge and technical skills, recognising that relevance in a digital age requires continuous learning. Leadership, she reminds them, begins long before titles are conferred. It begins with discipline, curiosity, and the willingness to grow through discomfort. Comparison, she cautions, can be distracting; personal excellence should be the true benchmark. Equally important is community. She advises women to cultivate networks of mentors, peers, and
allies who provide support and accountability. In doing so, they build resilience alongside
competence.

A Legacy of Opportunity
As she looks to the future, Olufon’s ambition transcends corporate milestones. She seeks to be remembered not only for institutions built but for individuals empowered. Her vision is of a professional ecosystem where women enter rooms already respected for their expertise, equipped with exposure and networks that enable confident participation. She is working toward a landscape where the gap between potential and opportunity narrows significantly, particularly within technology and finance. By integrating accounting with digital innovation and leadership with service, she is laying foundations that future generations can build upon.

As Nigeria navigates an evolving economic terrain, leaders like Olufon illuminate what is possible
when competence meets compassion and innovation aligns with inclusion. Her story is not merely
one of professional success; it is a testament to the power of purposeful leadership to shape
industries, empower communities, and inspire a generation prepared to build an even bolder
futur