“They said I couldn’t, but I thrived in the midst of opposition and built an empire for myself. – Ife Ibitokun – Founder and Chief Executive, BizNurture

Episode 9 of ‘They Said I Couldn’t’ features the story of entrepreneur and financial services professional, Founder and Chief Executive at BizNurture Financial Services – Ife Ibitokun.

‘They said I Couldn’t’ is a docu-series brought to you by Sunlight Nigeria in collaboration with Under 40 CEOs.

Everyone had a reason as to why Ife shouldn’t quit her job to chase after dreams, but she proved them wrong by not just achieving her dreams but also creating a platform for others to achieve theirs.
Click the link below to watch this 6-minute episode.

Oftentimes, we’re inspired by the stories of successful women. But hardly do we know what goes on behind the scenes. Their struggles, the several times they’ve gotten NOs for answers.

Meet Ife Ibitokun in this episode as she takes us through her journey of transitioning from her full-time job to building her business empire.

Ife Ibitokun is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer at BizNurture Financial Services Limited, an alternative lending company with the mission to support the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises through the provision of alternative finance.

Utilising extensive experience in the financial sector, from leading several teams in institutions such as Guaranty Trust Bank to structuring facilities worth hundreds of millions in dollars, Ife brings her expertise in Business Strategy, Banking, Sales & Marketing, Fundraising, Financial & Credit Analyses, Business Development and Financial Modelling in leading the BizNurture Group.

BizNurture is at the forefront of Lendtech in Nigeria, disbursing over a billion-naira worth of loans to over 200 SMEs. This feat has earned BizNurture the award for “One of the Top 100 Fastest Growing SMEs” by BusinessDay for 3 years consecutively. The Lendtech company was also recognized by ConnectNG in conjunction with Union Bank and British Council as one of the “Top 100 Emerging SMEs in Nigeria”.

BizNurture is currently evolving into a group structure, as the business pivots into digital savings and investments (BizVestNG), as well as providing e-advisory services BizPartnerNG).

Ife is also passionate about sharing experiences with women. She is an Advisory Board Member of the Pan African Women Empowerment Network (PAWEN), is an associate member of WimBiz, the largest gathering of women in business, management and public service in Africa, as well as a member of GodsOwnDiva Club. Ife also coaches individuals and businesses on Thinking into Results. She shares her knowledge on personal and business finance through speaking engagements, training, and consultation.

In addition to the aforementioned achievements, Ife is a Chartered Accountant, holds a certification in Disruptive Strategy from Harvard Business School, an MBA from Cranfield University School of Management, United Kingdom; a certification in Japanese Industry & Management from Kobe University, Japan and a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from the University of Lagos, Nigeria.