Olu Akanmu was, until recently, President and Co-CEO of OPay-Nigeria, one of Nigeria’s largest fintech platforms with Unicorn valuation. He has an unusual, diverse C-level strategic leadership experience across several industries, including healthcare, FMCG, telecommunications, banking, fintech, and non -profit industries, with a track record of growing and scaling businesses successfully across these industries.

He was Executive Director- Retail Banking at First City Monument Bank; Chief Marketing Officer at Airtel, Nigeria; Managing Executive – Retail Banking at former Bank PHB; General Manager-Consumer Marketing; MTN-Nigeria; and Client Service Director-Insight Communications (West Africa’s largest advertising agency). He was also Chief Operating Officer at Society for Family Health and Population Services International (Nigeria; and South Africa) and Marketing Manager at former Glaxo-Nigeria.

He holds a Bachelor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Ife, a Master in Business Administration from the Lagos State University and a Distinction in the Management Advancement Program of the University of Witwatersrand Business School, South Africa. He also holds a Post Graduate Certificate in Business Research Methods from Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh Business School, United Kingdom.

Janice Olawoye was born on the 24^th of February, 1951, at Hartley, Iowa, USA.  She had her primary and secondary education in Iowa and later went on to Iowa State University for her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Sociology in 1972 and 1976, respectively.  She obtained her Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of Ibadan in 1986.

Janice Olawoye became a Professor of Rural Sociology in 1998 at the Department of Agricultural Extension and Rural Development, University of Ibadan, where she taught from 1978 to 2016, when she voluntarily retired.  She served the university in various administrative and committee capacities, including Head of Department, for seven years, and she was elected the first female Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry (2004–2006).  She was a member of the University Appointments & Promotion Committee, the Anti-Corruption and Transparency Committee, and Senate Curriculum Committee.  She was also Chair of the Senate Truth Committee and the Senate Business Committee.  She has served as Hall Mistress of Queen Elizabeth II Hall and a Coordinator at the Centre for Sustainable Development (CESDEV).

With extensive teaching and research experience, Professor Olawoye has developed expertise in social issues related to rural development, particularly gender issues.  She has over 70 publications in journals, chapters of books, and other professional outlets, and she has carried out well over 60 research assignments for several national and international development organizations, including the World Bank, FAO, and IFAD.  She has supervised many undergraduate and postgraduate students, including 30 Ph.D. students.   Janice Olawoye has also served on the boards of several NGOs, including charitable organizations.

Professor Olawoye is happily married to Rev. (Dr.) O.O. Olawoye, who is the Founder of Faith Bible Church, Ibadan, where she is also an ordained pastor specializing in Christian education for children.  The Olawoyes are the proprietors of King’s International College, King’s Junior Academy, and the School of Further Studies at Moniya, Ibadan.  The family is blessed with wonderful sons and cherished grandchildren.

Saude Amina Atoyebi is a public sector consultant focused on public policy, social protection, and financial inclusion, currently supporting the Gates Foundation’s Inclusive Financial Systems team to expand and consolidate their work in Nigeria. She is presently a trustee of the Network on Social Protection Advocacy in Nigeria and serves on the Governing Council of the Kaduna Centre for the Study of Christian and Muslim Relations. Formerly Deputy Chief of Staff (Administration) in the Kaduna State Government, where she coordinated the administrative functions of the Governor’s Office and contributed to developing government policy, she concurrently led the state’s Social Investment Office. Under her leadership, she facilitated the annual disbursement of over $40 million annually for social protection. Notable achievements recorded during her tenure include Kaduna becoming the first state in Nigeria to enact its Social Security Law, overseeing the development of a comprehensive social protection policy, and restructuring the organization responsible for its implementation.

Saude chaired the State Steering Committee on Social Investment, working with members of the State Executive Council to design social protection policies and programs aimed at alleviating poverty and boosting prosperity among Kaduna’s most vulnerable population. She also served on the Steering Committee of the Sir Kashim Ibrahim Fellowship, which is the Kaduna State Government’s effort at training and developing the next generation of African leaders. She holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from the prestigious Ahmadu Bello
University, Zaria, a master’s degree in advertising and marketing from Coventry University in the United Kingdom, and has attended trainings on leadership and social protection delivered by the Harvard Kennedy School, Agha Khan University, Economic Policy Research Institute, and the International Training Centre of the International Labour Organization. She is an alumna of the Bucerius Summer School on Global Governance.