2024 Blog Posts News & Events

President Tinubu Appoints New Executive Directors at Bank of Industry

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed Mr. Rotimi Akinde and Mrs. Ifeoma Uz’Okpala as Executive Director, Corporate Finance & Risk Management and Executive Director, Large Enterprises Directorate respectively to the Bank of Industry (BOI) effective, Monday, August 26, 2024.

Rotimi Akinde is a finance professional with over 20 years Investment and Corporate Banking experience and an extensive track record covering capital raising (Debt, Equities and Hybrids) as well as Corporate Finance (Mergers & Acquisitions, Privatization Advisory and Project Finance).

Prior to joining the Bank of Industry, he was an Associate Partner, Project & Corporate Finance at the Infrastructure Delivery International (IDI), where he worked on the UKNIAF programme and promoted green finance as well as structured debt solutions for sub-nationals.
He also worked previously as the Corporate Finance Advisor at Nigeria Infrastructure Advisory Facility (‘NIAF’), providing financing initiatives, modelling and funding structures on infrastructure.

He served within Corporate Banking as the Group Head & Assistant General Manager, Multinationals at UBA Plc, prior to which he was Vice President, Corporate Finance & Advisory at UBA Global Markets (‘now United Capital’).

He was a Privatization Adviser & Head, Oil & Gas Team at the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), where he closed on the divestiture and sale of the Federal Government’s equity interest in 11 Oil Services Companies and achieved the sale of all the Federal Government’s LPG assets.

He was an Assistant Manager in Leadbank Plc, within both the Investment and Corporate Banking Groups.
Prior to this he had worked in the financial sector in the United Kingdom as an Investment Analyst with Barclays Funds, London and a stint as an Analyst with Merrill Lynch Investment Managers, London.
Rotimi holds a Bachelors degree in Economics from the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife; earned a Masters Degree in International Securities, Investment & Banking from the University of Reading, UK and holds an Executive MBA from INSEAD.

Mrs. Ifeoma Uz’Okpala joined BOI in September 2014 as Group Head, Large Enterprises Credit and later served as the Chief Risk Officer of the Bank before her appointment.

As Chief Risk Officer of the Bank, she played a crucial role in managing and mitigating risks associated with the bank’s operations, while also providing Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) risk support. She offered invaluable ESG support within transactions and provided the roadmap for attracting impact investments.

Uz’Okpala is a seasoned Credit and Risk Management Professional, with a career spanning over 30 years in the financial sector.

She commenced her career at International Merchant Bank and progressed through key roles at MBC International, First Bank, Stanbic Bank, and UBA. Her versatile expertise includes Internal Audit, Corporate Finance, Credit Evaluation and Origination, Foreign Operations, and Risk Management.

She is an alumna of the University of Nigeria, where she attained a BSc. In Accountancy and a graduate of the prestigious Lagos Business School.

Uz’Okpala is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (FCA), an Honourary Senior Member (HCIB) of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria and Member of the Chartered Risk Management Institute.

2023 BOI in the Press

BOI WINS TWO SERAS AWARDS FOR FINANCIAL INCLUSION AND MOST EFFECTIVE MDA IN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

December 15th, 2023, Lagos Nigeria– The Bank of Industry (BOI) was honoured with two SERAS Awards at the recently concluded Sustainability, Enterprise and Responsibility Awards also known as the SERAS CSR Awards.  BOI was awarded the ‘Best Company in Financial Inclusion’ and the ‘Most Effective MDA/Parastatal in Sustainable Development’.

BOI was recognized for its efforts and strides in championing sustainable development by supporting the growth of MSMEs through its Interventions platform via programmes such as the NG Cares, MSME Survival Fund and the State Enterprise Empowerment Programme (SEEP).

Speaking on this achievement, the Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer of BOI Dr. Olasupo Olusi said “This recognition is a testament to the Bank’s commitment to supporting the growth of MSMEs and promoting sustainable development in Nigeria. We remain committed to employing sustainable business practices in our operations in line with our strategic objectives.”

The SERAS CSR Awards seek to promote the actualization of the Sustainable Development Goals in Africa by providing a platform that measures and harmonizes the contributions of the private sector, government/public sector, and non-governmental organizations to attain set targets.

The Bank also won the “Best Company in Financial Inclusion’ and the “Best New Entry” Awards in 2021, as well as the “Best Company in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion” award in 2022.