Unified Payment Services Limited (UP®), established in 1997 as the pioneer fintech, shared industry service provider and payment scheme in Nigeria, continues to, continues to redefine digital payment landscapes, powering Africa’s financial future with unparalleled services as a trusted shared industry infrastructure. As Women’s Month draws to a close, UP® proudly spotlights thirteen exceptional women who lead with vision and expertise, driving growth and innovation across the organisation.
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Unified Payment Services Limited (UP) has never been one to follow the crowd. Over the years, it has continuously pushed the envelope in digital payments and financial technology across Africa. As we bid farewell to Women’s Month, it feels like the perfect time to pause and celebrate a core part of this story—thirteen remarkable women who are not only steering UP’s strategic vision but are also challenging conventions at every turn.
Looking back, UP’s journey is a story of reinvention and relentless drive. Originally incorporated as SmartCard Nigeria Plc and later rebranded as ValuCard Nigeria Plc, the organisation has grown into Nigeria’s foremost payments and fintech provider. From its inception, UP has carved out a reputation for innovation.
One of its most transformative contributions was the introduction of the EMV Chip+PIN card technology, a development that drastically reduced ATM fraud by over 95% nationwide. This groundbreaking initiative not only enhanced security across the country’s banking landscape but also propelled Nigeria into a new era, where local banks could issue payment cards that met global standards and even accept foreign-issued cards at ATMs — a milestone that reshaped Nigeria’s financial narrative.
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Yet, UP’s achievements are not limited to its technical milestones. The company also made history by becoming Nigeria’s first non-bank principal member of a global payment scheme, and later, the nation’s first licensed payment service bank. These feats have set the stage for a broader conversation about financial inclusion and the empowerment of businesses and individuals alike. By facilitating transactions in Nigerian naira, UP has simplified international trade and provided Nigerian merchants with the confidence to engage on a global scale, proving that innovation in finance isn’t just about technology—it’s about transforming lives.
At the heart of this evolution are the women leaders who have been instrumental in shaping UP’s course. Their leadership is evident in the company’s robust portfolio of products — which includes Payattitude, Payarena, Payarena Mall, Payarena Verification, Payarena VAS, Hope PSBank, UP Digital, and TM30 — and also in the company’s everyday ethos. These platforms have been designed to make everyday transactions smoother, safer, and more accessible. Every innovation speaks to the company’s commitment to creating an environment where cutting-edge technology meets practical, user-friendly solutions.
For UP, values aren’t just words on a mission statement—they’re a way of life. The firm’s guiding principles — professionalism, respect, innovation, dependability, and execution (PRIDE) — are woven into every layer of the organisation. When Agada Apochi, the CEO of UP, says, “Our goal remains clear—to foster innovation that transforms transactions and, more importantly, transforms lives,” it’s more than a declaration; it’s a call to action. It’s a reflection of the spirit that drives the company every day, a spirit that is nurtured and amplified by its diverse leadership team.
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There is something uniquely inspiring about the way UP has embraced the future. Under the stewardship of these thirteen trailblazing women, the company has not only excelled in risk management and strategic innovation but also cultivated a culture where new ideas are welcomed and nurtured. United Payments’ leaders bring a transformative approach that marries strategic foresight with a commitment to inclusivity and empowerment.
As Women’s Month concludes, UP celebrates thirteen influential women whose leadership across various departments significantly propels the company’s vision forward.
Ogechi Altraide, Managing Director and CEO at Hope Payment Service BankOgechi Altraide leads Hope Payment Service Bank as the Managing Director and CEO, driving financial inclusion, digital innovation, and transformative banking. Her visionary approach empowers underserved communities by providing essential financial services to individuals and small businesses. Altraide’s strategic initiatives have significantly boosted digital banking adoption, creating economic opportunities and enhancing financial literacy.
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Reflecting on the IWD theme, Altraide emphasises the need for deliberate actions to close the gender gap and foster economic equality. “I actively mentor women to help them accept, grow and excel in leadership roles by sharing my personal experiences and success story as well as the hurdles that I had to overcome on my journey to the top,” she explains. Championing gender-sensitive policies and tackling gender-based violence, she encourages women to embrace technology, ensuring their relevance and influence while driving impactful community initiatives.
Vivian Okolo, Director, Corporate Services
Vivian Okolo is the driving force behind corporate governance and operational synergy at United Payments, streamlining departmental integration to align with organisational goals. As the director of Corporate Services, her strategic oversight catalyses innovative solutions, enhancing efficiency and continuous improvement. Okolo’s meticulous management fosters internal collaboration and enriches corporate culture.
Reflecting on the IWD theme, Vivian stresses the urgency of immediate action. “Why wait for tomorrow to unleash those great positive potentials?” she challenges. “If you don’t, you may be denying someone an opportunity to hold your hand and grow.” Drawing from her experience in a male-dominated engineering sector, Vivian positively approaches challenges like UP’s Payment Terminal Service Provider (PTSP) acquisition and data centre revamp. “Embracing challenges positively came with invaluable lessons, new ideas, insight, and better knowledge,” she says.
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Ochanya Dan-Ugo, Director/Chief Risk Officer, Enterprise Risk Management
Ochanya Dan-Ugo spearheads risk management at Unified Payments with a blend of vigilance and innovative foresight. As the Director and Chief Risk Officer, she implements robust strategies that identify potential challenges and transform them into opportunities for growth. Her deep industry expertise ensures an agile, responsive risk framework suited to a rapidly evolving digital terrain. Her analytical prowess has mitigated potential threats, enhancing the company’s resilience.
Reflecting on the IWD theme, Dan-Ugo shares: “It resonates with my journey of pushing boundaries in a gender-biased world. It’s about fostering inclusivity, championing equality, and breaking down systemic barriers through urgent implementation of recommendations and policies.” Her leadership journey, shaped by overcoming biases and self-doubt, has thrived through unwavering support, mentorship, and collaboration at Unified Payments.
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Titilayo Olubiyi, Director, Financial Institutions
Titilayo Olubiyi fortifies Unified Payment’s strategic alliances with key financial institutions, driving dynamic collaborations that expand UP’s market reach and reinforce its leadership. As the Director of Financial Institutions, her efforts have forged impactful partnerships that elevate UP’s service offerings and promote mutual growth.
Olubiyi says the IWD theme is a mandate to transition from intent to tangible impact. “It’s about leading with purpose, lifting others as we rise, and creating a future where women thrive,” she notes. Her interpersonal skills and relationship-building expertise have enabled meaningful global connections, translating directly into business success. Despite encountering challenges like underrepresentation and work-life balance, Olubiyi’s resilience, perseverance, and unwavering faith enable her to empower emerging female leaders. “I am able to share and contribute to the growth of women across all levels in the organisation,” she adds.
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READ ALSO: Bestriding Nigeria’s Financial Market With Unified Payment Services Limited
Nosa Anderson, Group Head, Business Risk
Nosa Anderson leads business risk assessments at UP, safeguarding organisational stability through a careful balance of proactive analysis and strategic foresight. As the Group Head of Business Risk, she transforms potential challenges into opportunities for advancement, ensuring every risk is carefully measured and leveraged for competitive benefit.
Anderson’s innovative approach to risk management and commitment to informed risk-taking instil a sense of confidence and resilience across teams, fostering an environment where calculated risks pave the way for sustainable growth. Reflecting on the IWD theme, Nosa succinctly emphasises the importance of harnessing risk knowledge. “From the standpoint of a risk manager, it’s about harnessing requisite knowledge associated with managing evolving risks in the payment ecosystem without jeopardising performance optimisation, transaction reliability, or user experience,” she notes.
Onyeje Omeliko, Group Head, Payattitude Global
Omeliko Onyeje is a dynamic force at Unified Payments, driving strategic partnerships with key financial institutions as the Group Head of Payattitude Global. Her collaborative approach builds robust, trust-based alliances essential for mutual growth. Onyeje combines strategic insight with genuine relationship-building, believing firmly that partnerships built on trust and mutual benefit form the backbone of the company’s engagements. Her innovative strategies and proactive engagement have strengthened business synergies and expanded market presence.
Addressing this year’s IWD theme, Onyeje emphasises urgency: “It’s a cry to urgently move beyond promises to action, taking immediate steps against gender-based violence and rapidly closing gender inequalities in politics, economy, leadership, and education.” She advocates investing in women’s health and well-being, including mental health and reproductive rights.
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Amarachi Ekelenye, Group Head, Settlement & Dispute Management
Amarachi Zara Ekelenye expertly oversees Settlement and Dispute Management at UP, championing efficiency and customer satisfaction. As the Group Head, she has streamlined processes to swiftly resolve disputes, enhancing trust and strengthening client relationships. Ekelenye believes every resolved dispute offers a valuable chance to elevate service standards as prompt dispute resolution reinforces customer confidence in an organisation’s systems.
Reflecting on the IWD theme, Ekelenye believes it involves “bringing significant changes into effect in our homes, careers, and society at large. It means moving past inefficient procedures to take bold, decisive actions that promote gender equality.” Her leadership style at UP was shaped by overcoming early challenges, particularly automating settlement processes within tight deadlines. Ekelenye credits these experiences with building her adaptability, resilience, and teamwork skills.
Onajite Regha, Group Head, UP Digital
Onajite Regha is the driving force behind UP Digital, steering the company’s commercial strategy with innovative insight and clarity. As Group Head, she develops robust frameworks that transform market challenges into growth opportunities. Her methodical approach, paired with her knack for interpreting industry trends, underpins her philosophy that every business challenge is a hidden opportunity for continuous improvement.
Regha’s initiatives have streamlined internal processes, strengthened strategic partnerships, and elevated operational excellence, fostering a culture of agility and collaboration. Reflecting on the IWD theme, Regha emphasises immediate, intentional progress: “It means taking intentional steps to grow while uplifting other women with resources, knowledge, and opportunities.” Her leadership has evolved through challenges that tested her resilience and defining moments that strengthened her vision.
Bilikis Bolanle Yusuf, Group Head, IT Infrastructure
Bilikis Bolanle Yusuf expertly guides UP’s IT Infrastructure team with technical acumen and visionary leadership. As the Group Head, she designs, implements, and consistently enhances the digital frameworks supporting the company’s extensive service portfolio. Her strategic emphasis on cybersecurity and scalable technology platforms significantly boosts operational efficiency and data integrity. By integrating cutting-edge solutions and advocating continuous innovation, Yusuf ensures UP remains a leading force within Nigeria’s fintech space.
Reflecting on her leadership journey, Yusuf describes her experience at UP as empowering and supportive, with no gender discrimination. She emphasises, “As expected for performance-based organisations, challenges become stepping stones with the right environment and leadership.” Addressing perceived barriers, she asserts, “The only glass ceilings I have observed were those individuals impose upon themselves — not from organisational structures.”
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Nkiru Obiorah, Group Head, Customer Care Center
Nkiru Obiorah leads UP’s Customer Care Center with a relentless dedication to redefining service excellence and customer satisfaction. As the Group Head, she has introduced innovative strategies that emphasise empathy, responsiveness, and personalised support. Obiorah sees every customer interaction as an essential chance to build lasting trust. After all, customers are an organisation’s greatest asset, and their satisfaction drives its success.
Obiorah views the IWD theme as “an urgent call to drive inclusive leadership in workplaces.” With over two decades of professional experience, she credits an enabling, merit-based work environment for business and career success. Her leadership has spearheaded comprehensive training programmes and advanced communication tools, significantly enhancing response times and service quality. “I strongly support inclusive leadership and the need to dismantle systematic barriers,” she says.
READ ALSO: It’s time for women to rise and claim leadership roles in Nigeria – Atoyebi
Nkechi Udiminue, Group Head, Financial Institutions
As the Group Head of Financial Institutions, Nkechi Udiminue strategically cultivates partnerships that drive growth and strengthen the company’s market influence. Her proactive leadership has deepened UP’s relationships with key banks and financial bodies, building a robust, mutually beneficial ecosystem. Her initiatives have significantly improved service delivery and operational efficiency, enabling the company to swiftly adapt to evolving industry demands.
Udiminue emphasises that meaningful action “is beyond just speeding up progress but making real changes and opening doors for more women in leadership.” Her career journey, shaped by high pressures and pivotal moments, has been supported unwaveringly by her colleagues at UP, family, and friends who constantly guide her. Udiminue advocates collective action, urging everyone to courageously break barriers for women’s advancement.
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Chioma Akaniro, Group Head, Human Resources
Chioma Akaniro leads UP’s Human Resources with a commitment to cultivating talent and building an inclusive culture. As the Group Head of HR, she champions progressive recruitment and development strategies that empower all employees. Her initiatives include comprehensive training programmes, mentorship opportunities, and innovative engagement practices, significantly enhancing employee satisfaction and performance at UP.
Reflecting on the IWD theme, Akaniro highlights “the need to expedite strategies, ideas, actions, and resources to achieve women’s advancement.” Her leadership philosophy, guided by Ecclesiastes 1:9 — “there is nothing new under the sun” — inspires her pragmatic approach to challenges. Drawing wisdom from books, life experiences, and advice from peers and mentors, she adeptly navigates obstacles, reinforcing a resilient, supportive environment where employees can thrive and excel together.
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Nkechi Olusoji-Moses, Group Head, Other Financial Institutions
Nkechi Olusoji-Moses manages UP’s relationships with diverse financial institutions beyond traditional banking, strategically expanding the company’s market reach. As Group Head of Other Financial Institutions, she navigates regulatory complexities, creating new collaboration opportunities. Passionate about bridging financial ecosystem gaps, Olusoji-Moses’ strategic vision and innovative initiatives have significantly boosted operational agility and diversified revenue streams, reinforcing UP’s industry reputation.
Strengthened by high-impact projects and steadfast management support, Olusoji-Moses is committed to uplifting others, advocating inclusivity, and empowering women leaders. Her leadership journey has been shaped by the challenges of driving revenue growth, aligning strategies, and managing expectations across departments. “This year’s theme inspires me to push boundaries, challenge norms, and create lasting impact through decisive action and collaboration,” she says.
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