Work Focus: Technology, Software Engineering, Financial Technology, Digital Transformation

I spoke to Lola Ekugo, who is the Head of the Digital Innovation Labs at FirstBank Nigeria. She is at the forefront of the Bank’s Digital transformation journey through innovation and technology. She is transforming the bank through accelerating the digital journey, Fintech start-up collaborations and innovating on solutions to real-life industry challenges.

Lola started her career as a software engineer over 13 years ago at Investec Asset Management, London where she was responsible for the development of digital solutions in the asset management portfolio. Since then she has worked in various capacities across technology roles in the financial services industry across Europe and Africa in several companies including Dresdner Kleinwort, Commerzbank and BNP Paribas. In 2010, she received a Portfolio Restructuring Unit Excellence award at Commerzbank for her contribution towards the largest ever CDS auction.

Lola is a first-class graduate of Business Information Systems at Middlesex University with a scholarship for outstanding academic performance and an MBA from Imperial College Business School.

Lola has founded two startups, including Transthat.com, a peer to peer logistics platform and serves on the Tech Committee of Women in Management, Business & Public Service (WimBiz), the Digital Transformation Committee of Junior Achievement Nigeria. She is also involved in initiatives to boost tech entrepreneurship and develop the STEM agenda across the continent. She more recently launched an online platform called TechStart aimed at providing resources for people interested in starting technology careers.

She is also one of the 30 women profiled by Fintech Africa as one of the exceptional women playing leading roles in their various companies and shaping the fintech sector in Nigeria, Africa’s largest economy.

Lola has travelled to over 30 countries and has seen the value of efficient utilisation using innovative technologies across different sectors and some of the best methods of implementing new technology in the world at large.

Links:

https://www.techstart.africa/

https://www.firstbanknigeria.com/

https://wimbiz.org/

https://ja-nigeria.org/

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