Akeem-Akintoye Amusa, a banking and digital information technology expert, has been conferred with the 2023 Crest Award as Distinguished Innovator in Tech, in recognition of his cross-sector contributions to banking, healthcare, and nursing home management.

The award, presented by Crest Africa, spotlights Amusa’s track record of using technology to improve efficiency, strengthen compliance, and drive human-centred outcomes across multiple industries.

At Heritage Bank Plc, Amusa played a key role in shaping operations through several innovations, including the Anchor Borrowers loan repayment module, which reduced defaults by 50 per cent. He also oversaw a seamless system upgrade from Finacle 7 to Finacle 10 and introduced a new IT audit framework that boosted compliance by 48 per cent.

“My journey has always been about harnessing technology to simplify complexity, bridge gaps, and improve lives,” Amusa said after receiving the award. “This award is not just for me, but for every professional who believes in using digital solutions to transform industries and impact communities.”

Amusa’s expertise has also extended beyond the banking sector. He has served as a Data Analyst with Fourthman Technologies Limited in Lagos, Poly Consult in Ibadan, and Springlight Specialist Hospital in Ibadan, applying IT and data management solutions that improved efficiency and outcomes.

His work in the healthcare and nursing home sector has been noted at both national and international levels, where he applied structured processes and secure digital systems to enhance compliance and service delivery. “Technology is not just about systems and codes, it is about people,” Amusa stated. “In every organisation I have worked with, my focus has been on building solutions that are both innovative and deeply human. That balance is what keeps institutions sustainable and impactful.”

Among his notable achievements, Amusa designed a repayment system for farmers in Nigeria under the Anchor Borrowers initiative, a project that transformed financial access for thousands of smallholder farmers across the country.

Amusa said he intends to expand his focus to DevOps and sustainable software engineering in future projects, ensuring that industries remain “digitally advanced, client-centred, and secure.”

The Crest Award, one of Crest Africa’s leading honours for innovators, affirms Amusa’s standing as a distinguished leader whose work demonstrates how digital transformation can cut across industries and improve lives.