Sheila Ash Nelson: Fueling Nigeria’s Digital Defence and Empowering the Next Generation of Tech Talent

Not many women leaders embody patriotism and strategic foresight like Sheila Ash Nelson, the Founder and CEO of Ash Nelson Partners. Being recognised among Nigeria’s most outstanding and impactful women in leadership, Nelson’s commitment extends beyond mere commercial success; it is rooted in elevating Nigeria’s strategic capabilities and cultivating its abundant talent pool.

Sheila Ash Nelson’s journey back to Nigeria, the country of her birth, having spent most of her young adult life in the UK, was profoundly personal. Her decision to relocate was spurred by the passing of her grandfather in December 2011, motivating her to be close to and support her grandmother through a difficult period. This transition started with consulting for technology companies seeking to sell solutions in Nigeria, such as FX Architects. The pivot to fully commit to the Nigerian market came after a tragic event, the Dana air crash, which led her then-employer to feel uncomfortable with her continuous international travel due to insurance concerns.

Choosing to remain, she initially worked for one of the largest fintechs at the time, specialising in government automation, a role she held for about three years. Following this experience, she realised she wanted to “try this out” herself. What started as consultation and selling on behalf of fintechs and startups evolved, eventually leading them to stumble upon security. The company’s launch into the cybersecurity world began with an enterprise fraud management solution for FCMB. Reflecting on her path, Sheila notes that while family initiated her move back, it was purpose and the sense of chasing something that is rewarding that connected her with technology and ultimately led her into the realm of cybersecurity.

Ash Nelson Partners is uniquely structured as two interwoven companies. It functions simultaneously as a business development arm and a technology company. The business development side focuses on sourcing new technologies relevant to the region, particularly in spaces like cybercrime, cybersecurity, enterprise fraud management, Ai powered automation & Core Technology. Once these solutions are identified, Ash Nelson transforms into a technology company by thoroughly understudying them, ensuring local staff learn the technologies, mastering installation, and becoming localised subject matter experts. This strategy guarantees that deployments are supported effectively on the customer side, ensuring the solution delivers the intended value. Essentially, Ash Nelson strategically identifies relevant technology solutions, brings them into the region to sell them, and then assumes the technical role of providing local, value-driven support.

A central pillar of Ash Nelson Partners’ operational philosophy is its unwavering focus on leveraging local talent and partnering exclusively with companies dedicated to building capacity within Nigeria. Initially, this approach was necessitated by historical gaps in service delivery. If international experts (say, from an Israeli or European company) did not train the local team, service gaps would occur if a customer needed assistance during a weekend or when the original expert was away.

However, the commitment has grown far beyond practical necessity; it is now driven by a belief in technology as an equaliser. Sheila states: “For the first time, it’s almost like Africa can stand toe to toe with the rest of the world” because of the investment in technology and local building efforts. She believes that innovation and creativity thrive on exposure. Thus, Ash Nelson Partners strategically works to expose these cutting-edge technologies to young minds and essentially infect/impact the next generation of innovation to come out of Nigeria.

This mandate goes beyond winning projects. By providing this high-level exposure, the company facilitates an environment where talent can grow and secure global opportunities, even working remotely from Nigeria, thereby impacting lives long after individuals move on from Ash Nelson Partners. Expressing a deep sense of national pride, Sheila asserts, “I’m a proud Nigerian, I believe Nigeria is a great nation with a greater destiny.”

The tangible proof of their competence is demonstrated by customer loyalty. “We have long term working relationships with our customers, some of them have stayed with us for 6 or 7 years that is almost as long as the company has been in existence”. For Nigerian companies, this longevity assures them that Ash Nelson Partners is vested locally and though the technologies they work with might change from time to time, Ash Nelson is here is stay!

Ash Nelson Partners traditionally focused on the Financial Services Industry (FSI), working primarily with banks and switches. However, the strategic scope is rapidly expanding, with deliberate shifts towards the public sector, marked by the setup of a dedicated team in Abuja.

A particularly strategic area for expansion is the intelligence and defence space. Driven by the realization that the face of warfare has fundamentally changed, becoming predominantly digital, Nelson views this expansion as a critical, patriotic undertaking. She notes the increase in organisations now classified as part of Nigeria’s critical national infrastructure (CNI), including telco, Banks and intelligence sectors.

This motivation is fueled by the desire for impact and the ability to make a difference to the nation. Because technology acts as an equaliser, Nigeria is positioned to consume cutting-edge defence technologies, enabling the nation to optimize its defence on the digital front. Ash Nelson Partners views it as a privilege to source and implement the best technologies that have helped Nigeria optimise these digital frontlines on behalf of our nation. To prepare for this crucial work, the company is heavily invested in R&D and team certifications, embodying a culture of integrity where what is on the box is what is inside the box.

Moving forward, while critical project details will remain strategically confidential, Ash Nelson Partners is committed to being strategically loud about capacity building. Under the CyberValley umbrella, they are heavily investing in creating forums designed to expose up-and-coming generations, students in computer sciences and STEM, and those curious about cybersecurity careers, to opportunities and pathways in the field. The goal is to drive upskilling and create jobs, impacting the next generation around innovation. We have at least one bootcamp coming up before the end of January 2026 (for more information email [email protected])

One of their proudest projects involved working alongside the CCISONFI (the committee of CISOs representing companies within the financial sector). Ash Nelson worked with the committee to design and conduct readiness checks and run exercises to assess the financial industry’s preparedness against some of the biggest threats targeting the sector. This proactive approach helps the sector “optimize and prepare for whatever might be coming”.

Sheila’s advocacy for Nigeria is absolute. She boldly declares that she would never say anything negative about Nigeria and considers her as one of the best Nation’s in the World. To anyone considering setting up a technology business in Nigeria, her advice is crystal clear: “do it!”. There is so much opportunity to impact lives in Nigeria.

She praises the sophistication of existing sectors, stating she is extremely proud of what is being done in the banking sector, noting that Nigeria is ahead of some other African countries. Nelson is adamant that Nigeria is more sophisticated than people often assume, possessing the best technical minds that the world desires.

Leading a dual-purpose tech firm committed to national security requires immense focus. For Sheila Ash Nelson, finding balance is crucial and simple: she unwinds at least once a week by sitting at her favourite spot on the Lagos waterfront with friends, listening to music without air conditioning, simply enjoying the breeze, sipping wine and cocktails, and engaging in conversation and laughter. This commitment to personal respite ensures the focus necessary to continue driving Ash Nelson Partners as a true force for impact and innovation across Nigeria’s critical infrastructure.

EUNICE BRAIMAH: The Strategic Force Integrating Vision with Flawless Execution for African Brands

Eunice Braimah, Chief Executive Officer of Ideazqution Consulting, has built a dynamic 20-year career evolving from a communications expert to a strategic business transformation architect. While her education laid the necessary groundwork, the authentic narrative of her career has been defined by pivotal, high-stakes experiences. Early in her career, she recognised the imperative to pivot from traditional communications toward robust business strategy, based on the understanding that the power of storytelling must be anchored in solid business intelligence.

This strategic pivot allowed Braimah to move beyond merely discussing brands and actively focus on building them for long-term growth. Her impact has extended beyond her corporate role, as she has risen through the ranks, mentoring and serving with industry associations as a thought leader both online and offline. She continues to shape the future of Marketing in Africa through ethical discourse and impactful capacity building. The ultimate culmination of this journey was founding Ideazqution Consulting (ZQ), which serves as a platform designed to truly integrate strategy with flawless execution for ambitious African brands and Fortune 500 companies.

Ideazqution Consulting (ZQ) was established in response to the critical realisation that many businesses, despite possessing brilliant ideas, routinely fail at execution. Braimah’s core inspiration was to bridge this precise gap, creating a world-class organisation capable of seamlessly merging the initial creative spark with precise, data-driven execution. Although ZQ began with a key focus on integrated marketing, working closely with brand partners to articulate their stories, it has since evolved into a strategic powerhouse. ZQ is renowned not simply for running campaigns, but for developing comprehensive solutions, including market-entry blueprints, brand revitalization strategies, and integrated campaigns tailored for Governments, Multinationals, and Fast-growing African Enterprises. The firm also functions as a platform for inclusive leadership, actively mentoring the next generation of professionals within the advertising and marketing terrain.

What truly fuels Braimah’s professional passion is the opportunity to operate as a change leader. She is driven by the sheer excitement of taking a business entangled in complexity, successfully unlocking its inherent potential, and then watching it thrive. She fundamentally views marketing as the art of developing measurable solutions that not only enrich lives but also drive meaningful transformation in people and, by extension, in business performance.

Her success rests on key operational pillars, including Uncompromising Resilience, which is captured by her personal mantra: “The decision to stop can only come from me”. She views setbacks not as roadblocks, but as trajectories necessary for moving in a better direction. Another crucial pillar is Systems Thinking, defined as the ability to see beyond one isolated problem and understand how the entire business machine operates; this holistic strategic perspective provides an edge over stereotyped thinking. Finally, Inclusive Mentorship is viewed as an essential part of her legacy, requiring active investment in ensuring the success of MSMEs and young, aspirational professionals.

The most profound lesson that has shaped her leadership style and decision-making approach is the understanding that true leadership is measured by influence, not authority. Influence is central to transformational leadership, enabling her to inspire teams through vision, personal connection, and motivation. She learned early in her career that leading teams effectively through dynamic and volatile markets requires the leader to be the embodiment of agility and change. This philosophy has shaped her leadership style to be characterised by empathy, transparency, and bold decision-making. Braimah believes leaders must empower their teams, trust their expertise, and maintain a willingness to take informed risks. Her decision-making process involves gathering diverse insights and applying data rigorously. She then acts decisively to ensure creativity, innovation, and sustainability work hand-in-hand

At Ideazqution Consulting, strategy development is deeply anchored in empathy and rigorous business intelligence. The firm begins by attentively listening and understanding the specific pain points of their partners. This quickly moves toward gaining an insight into the brand consumer’s deep, underlying needs. These gathered insights are then meticulously merged with ROI-driven thinking. Braimah maintains that a strategy achieves effectiveness only if its implementation reliably translates into measurable business outcomes.

To ensure this tangible success, ZQ offers innovative solutions centered around three key areas:

• Integrated Strategic Execution Platforms: The firm achieves significant impact by seamlessly merging Creative, Traditional Media, Experiential, and Digital Marketing elements into a singular, holistic, and powerful campaign.

• Digital Empowerment: This involves equipping clients with digital-first strategies and the necessary data to drive market adoption, even within hard-to-reach markets. ZQ’s focus ensures that success is visibly, tangibly seen, rather than just merely felt.

• Localisation and Next-Gen Relevance: This expertise helps global brands effectively localize their narratives specifically for African markets, while simultaneously repositioning legacy brands to forge powerful and meaningful connections with younger consumer demographics.

Navigating economic challenges, Braimah stresses that Ideazqution Consulting must maintain a position of being strategic, lean, and utterly invaluable. The focus is intensely placed on ensuring ZQ is recognised as a critical partner for survival and growth, rather than being perceived as a discretionary expense. Key strategies employed to achieve this included prioritising value over volume, delivering high-impact solutions that immediately addressed clients’ most pressing problems. The firm also diversified and innovated by expanding services into fast-growth areas such as Fintech and Solar Power Solutions, while consistently leading with integrated marketing strategies designed to maximise limited client budgets.

Crucially, ZQ worked to deepen client trust, building relationships that stood the test of uncertainty, which allowed them to successfully turn setbacks into trajectory-setting opportunities.
Braimah observes that the past decade has been profoundly transformational, witnessing a surge of talented women successfully breaking the glass ceiling and occupying significant roles across sectors, including finance, tech, telecoms, entertainment, and marketing.

This movement fosters a style of inclusive leadership that promotes Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), corporate social responsibility, collaboration, and resilience. As Vice Chairman of Women in Advertising, she has witnessed firsthand the commitment to challenging the status quo, confirming that while structural barriers may persist, the momentum of women in leadership is irreversible. The increasing industry recognition confirms that the contributions of women are actively shaping the future of Nigerian industries and driving economic growth.

Her message of empowerment to future leaders is one of uncompromising self-belief and action. Braimah advises that leadership requires making the bold decision to show up fully, not passively waiting for permission. To unlock potential and make a lasting impact, she encourages professionals to: Invest in Systems Thinking to understand how their role fits into the larger picture, noting this holistic strategic perspective is what truly distinguishes leaders; Be a Change Advocate, actively challenging biases and redefining the environment—a philosophy tied to her personal mantra, “The decision to stop can only come from me”; and Mentor and Build Your Tribe, using personal success to lift others, knowing that legacy is ultimately measured by the positive lives they impact. She urges professionals to equip themselves with digital and forward-thinking skills, and to be disciplined, focused, intentional, and deliberate to see impressive results.

Finance as a Tool for Nation-Building: The Strategic Vision of Tinuola Aigwedo

Tinuola Aigwedo, the Executive Director of Strategy and Operations at the National Credit Guarantee Company Limited (NCGC), plays a crucial role in leveraging finance as a fundamental tool for national development and empowerment. Her professional path spans two decades in the financial services industry, commencing with her National Youth Service year posting to the Banking Supervision Department at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). This early exposure to institutional oversight and financial regulation provided a strong foundation for her career. Subsequently, she spent a significant part of her career at Guaranty Trust Bank, where she advanced to the position of Divisional Head of Retail Banking for the North Central region and Abuja. In this demanding role, she was responsible for leading strategic growth initiatives across diverse markets and championing customer-focused solutions that empowered individuals and businesses.

Currently, Tinuola is privileged to help shape and execute the crucial mandate of the NCGC. The company’s work is concentrated on expanding access to finance for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), supporting local manufacturers, and enabling consumer credit. This mission is ultimately geared toward strengthening Nigeria’s productive capacity and unlocking inclusive economic growth. A key driver of her passion is the visible impact that financial services have on people’s lives, whether it involves an entrepreneur expanding their business, a young person accessing credit for education, or a community thriving because of financial inclusion. Tinuola holds a deep conviction that finance is a vital tool for nation-building and empowerment, asserting her commitment to ensuring that access to credit is viewed as a right, not a privilege.

Her success as a leader is attributed to core principles, including discipline, resilience, and an unwavering commitment to excellence. Furthermore, mentorship has been central to her journey, involving both receiving guidance from leaders and actively mentoring younger professionals, especially women. To maintain relevance and effectiveness in her leadership position, Tinuola commits to continuous learning through executive education programs, engagement with professional networks, and close collaboration with regulators and industry stakeholders. She also pays specific attention to global trends in innovation, finance, and inclusion, ensuring she adapts these insights effectively to the local Nigerian context. This comprehensive knowledge base is invaluable, enabling her to anticipate market shifts, drive organisational innovation, and ensure that NCGC’s strategies remain competitive and responsive to the evolving needs of the Nigerian economy.

Balancing the demands of professional excellence with personal life requires what Tinuola describes as a “conscious discipline”. Her strategy involves intentionality, which includes prioritising time, setting clear boundaries, delegating effectively, and focusing primarily on high-impact activities. While acknowledging that this balance is not always perfect, her intentional approach ensures that her professional responsibilities and her commitment to family which she holds as central, do not suffer. She relies on a strong support system at home and work, embraces technology for smart working, and carves out necessary time for rest, reflection, and renewal.

A significant focus of Tinuola’s advocacy is the pivotal role of women in driving Nigeria’s progress. She emphasizes that women are central to the nation’s economic growth, serving as drivers of SMEs, innovators, leaders in households, and increasingly influential figures in public and corporate sectors. Data consistently reveals that when women achieve economic success, entire families, communities, and economies prosper. To fully harness these contributions for sustainable development, structural barriers to credit, education, and leadership must be removed. She advocates for policy frameworks that incentivize gender-inclusive financing, support women-led businesses, and create critical platforms where women’s voices can directly shape economic policy. Empowering women is thus considered an economic strategy, not just a social imperative.

At NCGC, gender diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are foundational to the organizational mission and culture. Since the NCGC is a newly established institution, these values have been embedded into its talent development and recruitment processes, ensuring women have equal access to opportunities across all levels, including leadership.

Despite this progress, Tinuola identifies the biggest obstacles to women’s advancement as the persistence of structural and cultural barriers, such as gender bias, societal expectations that impose disproportionate demands, and a lack of supportive institutional policies. To overcome these, organizations must commit to gender equity in succession planning, implement family-friendly policies, and create sponsorship and mentorship pipelines for women.

Furthermore, women must be actively encouraged and equipped with the tools needed to pursue leadership positions, seeing themselves as deserving of those roles. Her final message to Nigerian girls and women is potent: “own your worth and never underestimate your potential”. She advises them to invest in education, skills, and networks, to seek out mentors, and to recognize that leadership is ultimately about impact, not titles. She concludes by urging women to use resilience as their greatest asset, utilize obstacles as steppingstones, and never let fear define their choices, confirming they are central to rewriting the narrative of the nation’s progress.

Datari Ladejo: Demystifying Digital Transformation for Sustainable Solutions

Datari Ladejo, Founder/CEO Fernhill Digital Agency

In celebrating the Most Outstanding and Impactful Women in Leadership, we turn the spotlight on Datari Ladejo, the discerning Founder of Fernhill Digital Group, whose professional journey embodies resilience, strategic convergence, and purposeful impact. Ladejo’s path demonstrates that the most effective leadership emerges not from a straight line, but from the deliberate integration of diverse disciplines.

Ladejo began her career in law, securing an LLM in International Dispute Resolution and Economic Law from the University of London Institute in Paris, which provided her with a strong foundation in strategic thinking and complex problem-solving. She intentionally leveraged this rigorous legal discipline to transition her career into the technology sector. This move was prompted by the global shift towards digitalisation, particularly the rapid disruption caused by the pandemic, which left established business models demanding immediate internal restructuring.

Her success rests on several key, non-negotiable principles. The first is purposeful integration: she views law, technology, and brand strategy not as separate entities, but as interconnected parts of a robust business structure. Second is a deep commitment to demystifying complex things; the goal is to make digital transformation accessible and actionable for everyone, rather than intimidating. Finally, and most importantly, her entire operation is grounded in impact. She does not measure by profit alone, but by the tangible growth and resilience built for clients and the opportunities created within communities.

Ladejo’s multi-disciplinary background profoundly influences her leadership. The most significant lesson she learned was the immense value of adaptability, moving from the precedent-based world of law to the fluid, fast-paced tech industry demonstrated that effective leaders must be able to pivot intelligently and respond to change with agility. Her leadership is built on trust, empowering her team to experiment, learn, and iterate, recognising that innovation rarely originates from a top-down directive.

When approaching challenges, she treats decisions like a strategic puzzle, considering the legal implications, the technological feasibility, and the human-centric brand narrative all at once, enabling the crafting of solutions that are effective, sustainable, and ethically sound.

In discussing the demands of leadership, Ladejo prefers to reject the concept of a fragile “work-life balance,” labelling it largely a myth. Instead, she advocates for work-life integration, driven by a central, unifying purpose. For her, this anchor is her faith, which provides the clarity and fortitude necessary to navigate the inevitable pressures of leading multiple ventures. Her strategy focuses on ensuring that all her efforts in her personal life, at Fernhill Digital, and while building Digital Women Africa are aligned with her core mission of impact and empowerment. This intrinsic alignment makes prioritisation more intuitive, allowing her to manage competing demands without sacrificing the high standards set for the company and its clients.

Navigating the historically male-dominated technology sector presented its own set of challenges, including subtle biases and moments where she had to be twice as loud to be heard. Early in her career, there was a tendency for people to underestimate her capabilities. Ladejo’s winning strategy was not to fight these barriers head-on, but to turn them into a strategic advantage by concentrating on delivering indisputable excellence.

At Fernhill Digital, diversity and inclusion are embedded in the operational DNA. As a female-founded group of agencies, this commitment is instinctive. The most significant external initiative is Digital Women Africa, born from internal discussions about the digital gender gap. This initiative is the external commitment to equipping African women with the necessary digital skills to thrive. Internally, the agency champions mentorship and a culture of meritocracy, providing structured, transparent, and accessible pathways for career growth. Fernhill Digital intentionally partners with and provides services to female-founded businesses, ensuring it actively supports the ecosystem. The firm understands that a homogenous team cannot solve heterogeneous problems, making intentional diverse hiring a business imperative that drives superior innovation and results.

Ladejo stresses that Nigerian women operate as the foundational pillars of the economy. Their exclusion from key sectors means they represent Nigeria’s largest latent economic force, making their inclusion imperative for accelerated and sustainable growth. They are innovators, entrepreneurs, and community builders. To truly leverage this potential, a rigorous framework aligning policy, capital, and training is essential. This requires targeted digital enablement to aggressively close the digital divide through accessible training in high-demand skills. Furthermore, structural barriers to accessing capital must be dismantled by creating more venture funds focused on female founders and reforming lending practices.

Finally, policy and visibility are crucial: supporting policies like better childcare infrastructure and stronger legal protections, alongside relentlessly celebrating and showcasing successful Nigerian women in leadership. Ladejo notes: “When a girl sees what is possible, her ambition becomes limitless”.

Her message of empowerment to girls and women is clear: Your unique journey is your greatest asset. Women should not be discouraged if their path differs from others, as the world requires women who can draw from diverse experiences, be it arts, sciences, or the home to bring a fresh perspective. Ladejo concludes by advising young girls never to underestimate their voices and to recognise that not only are their perspectives needed but also their immense potential to lead and create change.

The Architectural Resilience of Leadership: Deborah Yemi-Oladayo’s Blueprint for Nigeria’s HR Transformation

Deborah Yemi-Oladayo, the Managing Director Proten International

Deborah Yemi-Oladayo, the Managing Director of Proten International, grounds her professional life on the deep conviction that people are the greatest assets to any business. Her leadership philosophy is defined by resilience, consistency, and a profound commitment to human capital management, organisational transformation, and business growth.

A Career Defined by System Building

Yemi-Oladayo’s extensive professional background is rooted in the Aviation Sector and Integrated Marketing & Communications, where she acquired crucial, hands-on experience in project execution, people management, and workforce planning. A significant early career achievement involved supporting an airline’s complex human capital expansion project.

Throughout her career, which has involved partnering with both local and international organisations across various industries, a core theme has emerged: a passion for building systems. She emphasises that this systemic approach empowers organisations, unlocks the full potential of talent, and creates a long-term impact not only for the specific businesses served but also for Nigeria at large.

Defining points in her trajectory include spearheading the launch of 360 Verify Ltd and Proten Technologies. These expansions are crucial components of Proten International’s commitment to innovation and ensuring clients are equipped for the future of work.

Proten International: Evolving into a 360-Degree Partner

Proten International was founded by Opeoluwa Onaboye, driven by a powerful yet simple vision: to empower businesses to thrive by empowering their people. Under Yemi-Oladayo’s direction, the company has successfully evolved from being a traditional HR services provider into a comprehensive 360-degree HR solutions partner.

Today, Proten International serves a broad spectrum of businesses across multiple industries. Their goal is to help clients hire top talent, ensure compliance, build necessary capacity, and even facilitate global expansion. This commitment is further demonstrated by the company’s expansion into Proten Technologies and 360 Verify, which reflects a clear focus on future readiness.

Pillars of Personal and Collective Success

Her professional drive is sustained by three personal pillars: faith, family, and career, which guide her daily decisions and keep her grounded. She handles challenges with calmness and patience, enabling her to be fearless when tackling difficult situations. Her deepest motivations stem from personal worship, studying the Bible, and vast reading.

To sustain this motivation, she stays rooted in Christ, dedicates time for reflection, surrounds herself with forward-thinking individuals, and draws immense inspiration from seeing young professionals successfully grow into leaders.

She acknowledges that while business challenges are real, the joy of knowing that her effort contributes to shaping the future of work in Africa is a significant driving force. Success, in her view, is rarely individual. It is inherently collective, built through persistence and collaboration.

She notes the importance of having been fortunate to have people who challenged her to think bigger, and teams who believed passionately in shared goals. These experiences reinforced the perspective that obstacles should be viewed as necessary stepping stones.

Innovative Solutions for Sustainable Growth

Proten International delivers end-to-end HR solutions specifically tailored to meet the dynamic and evolving requirements of modern organisations. These services are built upon the foundational belief that sustainable growth is achieved when people and processes are perfectly aligned.

The company’s comprehensive 360-degree solutions include:

•Talent Recruitment: Efficiently connecting businesses with the top 5% talent worldwide, often achieving placement within days.

•HR Outsourcing: Providing a flexible workforce solution, this strategically allows client companies to dedicate their focus to core growth activities.

•Learning & Development: Dedicated to upskilling workforces and building future-ready leaders through expertly led programs.

•HR Advisory: Offering tailored, strategic HR guidance essential for businesses aiming to scale sustainably.

•360 Verify: Delivering fast and reliable background checks, a critical service designed to mitigate organizational risks and build fundamental trust.

The Future of Leadership and Empowerment in Nigeria

Yemi-Oladayo assesses that the Nigerian HR industry is on the verge of significant transformation. Over the next five to ten years, key trends are anticipated to become standard practice, including digital adoption, skills-based recruitment, AI-driven insights, and the expansion of a borderless workforce. Proten International is committed to remaining at the forefront of this shift, actively shaping how businesses attract, retain, and develop talent within this rapidly changing landscape.

Regarding women in leadership, she has observed significant progress in representation across Nigeria over the past decade in sectors like Aviation, Banking and Consulting. She has seen firsthand the resilience of women rising to these roles, describing Nigerian women as tenacious and zealous. However, she stresses that the task moving forward is to institutionalise systems—such as leadership development programs and board quotas—to ensure that women’s progress is both sustained and scaled across all sectors.

Her message of empowerment to aspiring female leaders emphasises that leadership must be earned through preparation, consistency, and resilience. She advises girls and women never to downplay their potential, to stay firmly rooted in their faith and values, and to believe in their uniqueness. Furthermore, she encourages them to surround themselves with people who sharpen them, and crucially, never to stop learning.

RAHINATU OMOLAMAI: Driving Seamless Onboarding and Long-Term Loyalty at Leadway Pensure PFA

Rahinatu Omolamai, Head, Customer Experience Leadway Pensure

RAHINATU OMOLAMAI: Driving Seamless Onboarding and Long-Term Loyalty at Leadway Pensure PFA

As the Head, Customer Experience at Leadway Pensure PFA, Rahinatu Omolamai is a leading professional in Nigeria’s financial services industry. She brings 20 years of experience spanning both the banking and pensions sectors, specialising in customer experience and relationship management. Omolamai’s extensive background encompasses strategic sales, client engagement, and customer retention.

She has cultivated relationships across diverse client segments, including retail, high net-worth, and institutional clients. Her career began in banking, where she built foundational knowledge in relationship management and fully grasped the fundamental importance of trust in financial services.

In 2021, Omolamai joined Leadway Pensure PFA, contributing to the growth of the High Net-Worth Clients/Corporate Unit. She focused on deepening existing client relationships and successfully driving pension growth, ensuring onboarding and service delivery were seamless and built for long-term loyalty.

Today, she provides leadership within the Customer Experience space, overseeing service delivery, client engagement initiatives, and multi-location teams dedicated to strengthening customer satisfaction and loyalty.

What truly fuels her dedication is the profound belief that finance is ultimately about people, their security, aspirations, and peace of mind. Omolamai finds purpose in creating experiences that are trustworthy, seamless, and deeply human-centered.

Her successful career has been driven by resilience, a steadfast learner’s mindset, and the unique ability to connect authentically with people. For Omolamai, leadership is defined as service, and she ensures every interaction reflects her guiding philosophy of empathy, trust, and purpose.