Jennifer Awirigwe, professionally known as Financial Jennifer, is a certified personal finance expert, investment banker, and founder of Nigeria’s pioneering women-only finance platform, FinTribe where she is helping women gain financial freedom. She is also the convener of Finance fair. A Chartered Accountant, Chartered Stockbroker, and Certified Financial Education Instructor by the National Financial Educators Council, USA, Authorised Dealing Clerk of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, Financial Jennifer uses her platform to equip young women to secure their financial future. She has trained over 100,000 women on personal finance, guided thousands of women on their investment journeys, and provided financial aid to women – donating laptops and sponsoring IT training. With over 10,000 women in 35+ countries saving, investing, and growing wealth together to the tune of over $3m. Jennifer’s FinTribe community has become a great space for networking where effective relationships have been built among women nationwide. In this interview, she speaks on her advocacy for financial literacy as well as her forthcoming finance fair.

The Finance Fair has become a signature event for women seeking financial empowerment. What inspired its creation, and what gap in the financial ecosystem are you trying to close?

Many of us were never taught about money growing up, we were taught to work hard, not how to make money work for us. That’s the gap I wanted to close. The Finance Fair was born from my desire to make finance feel human and relatable. Women don’t just need financial products; we need financial confidence. The Fair is where learning meets action, where thousands of women get practical lessons, open accounts, make investments, and change how they think about wealth. It’s not a conference; it’s a movement helping women move from awareness to action. Because beyond the insights from our speakers, are credible finance brands like Sycamore, NGX, Afrinvest etc, onsite to guide our women on the spot.

This year’s edition is highly anticipated. What’s the central theme, and how does it align with the evolving realities of women and money in Nigeria?

This year’s theme, “Level Up,” is a call to action. Women are working hard, but hard work isn’t always enough, we must level up our mindset, money habits, and opportunities. From career to lifestyle, to business to investments, it’s time to play at a higher level. This year, we’re exploring what it truly means to evolve, spiritually, mentally, and financially. We’re hosting speakers like former chairman of Access bank, Dr. (Mrs.) Ajoritsedere Josephine Awosika; Movie producer and actress, Ruth Kadiri; CEO of NGX Regulation Limited, Olufemi Shobanjo, and many others, to share real stories and practical insights on growth. “Level Up” isn’t just about income, it’s about becoming the woman who can handle more.

You’ve trained over 600,000 women and helped your community grow investments worth millions of dollars. How does the Finance Fair build on that impact?

The Finance Fair is where everything we teach at FinTribe comes alive. It’s the physical meeting point for our 600,000+ women community, a space where knowledge becomes real action. Women don’t just attend; they open accounts, invest, collaborate, network and even walk away with life-changing opportunities. Over the years, our members have saved and invested over $4 million, but what truly excites me is how many of them say, “Because of FinTribe, I started.” The Fair builds on that, helping more women start, grow, and multiply their financial power with practical guidance and trusted partners.

What does financial inclusion truly mean for Nigerian women today, beyond just having a bank account?

Financial inclusion is more than having a bank account, it’s having the knowledge, access, and confidence to use that account to build wealth. Many women are “included” on paper but excluded in practice because they don’t know where to start or who to trust. Real inclusion means empowering women to make informed money decisions, to save, invest, and own assets in their names. At FinTribe, we go beyond access; we build trust, accountability, and community. Because once a woman feels safe around money, she begins to own her power, and that changes everything. Earlier this year, we launched a real estate project, over 100 women had the opportunity to become property owners, some of whom are first time owners. We are moving from just having a bank account to actual ownership.

Many women cite access, trust, and literacy as barriers to investing. How is FinTribe and the Finance Fair addressing these issues head-on?

We’re solving those barriers one woman at a time. At FinTribe, we simplify finance, no jargon, no intimidation, just real talk. We earn women’s trust through transparency and a community-driven system where everyone learns and grows together. The Finance Fair connects women directly with trusted brands and professionals who demystify investing. We don’t just tell women what to do, we show them how to do it. Imagine a woman learning about stocks in the morning and opening her first investment account by afternoon, that’s what happens at the Fair. Access + education + trust + Network = transformation.

We’re seeing women becoming more assertive about their financial independence. From your perspective, what are the emerging money habits among African women?

I’m seeing a beautiful shift; women are no longer waiting to be “taken care of.” They’re budgeting smarter, investing earlier, and diversifying their income. A growing number now invest in stocks, real estate, and even global opportunities. The narrative is changing from “I want to make ends meet” to “I want to build wealth.” I think social media has helped, women are seeing other women win, and it’s inspiring them to take charge. The new money habit among African women is intentionality, they want to understand where their money goes, how it grows, and what legacy it creates.

How do you see technology, particularly fintech, changing how women save, invest, and grow wealth?

Technology has completely changed the game. A woman in Kaduna can now buy U.S. stocks or invest in mutual funds from her phone, something unimaginable a decade ago. Fintech is breaking location and confidence barriers. For us at FinTribe, technology helped us scale impact. In 2023, we transitioned from a manual savings model to a fully tech-enabled platform. This allowed Nigerian women across the world to create accounts, automate their savings, and access curated investment opportunities from anywhere, anytime. The results were immediate and powerful: our user base grew from 800 to 5,000 in the same year, and combined investment surged from ₦200 million to ₦1.04 billion. But tech alone isn’t enough; it must be paired with trust and education. That’s where our model shines, we combine fintech with community and learning, helping women not just use the tools but understand them.

With increasing inflation and economic uncertainty, what financial strategies do you think women need to prioritise right now?

In seasons like this, the goal is to protect and preserve wealth before chasing growth. First, build an emergency fund, it’s your peace of mind account. Second, diversify; don’t keep all your money in one place or currency. Third, keep learning, knowledge is your best hedge against inflation. For women especially, I always say: “Money doesn’t respond to fear, it responds to strategy.” So don’t panic, plan. Start small, be consistent, and focus on investments that align with your goals. Tough times always reward the financially prepared.

What’s your message to women who are still hesitant to take charge of their finances or step into the investment space?

Sis, no one is coming to save you, not the economy, not your boss, not even your spouse. But the good news? You can save yourself. Start where you are, with what you have. You don’t need a million naira to begin; you just need the courage to start. The biggest transformation doesn’t happen when you earn more, it happens when you start managing better. Every financially free woman once felt scared too, but she took the first step. And I highly encourage you to be at this year’s Finance fair on October 25th at Landmark Event center VI Lagos, you will get all the motivation and guidance you need to start. Rooting for you!