Meet the Team
Our approach is simple - build a team of diverse and passionate individuals, and create a culture that empowers everyone to excel.
ALHAJI (DR.) UMARU ABDUL MUTALLAB, CON, FCA
Board Chairman
Alhaji Mutallab is a highly accomplished banker, technocrat, and philanthropist. He has received numerous awards, including the prestigious Commander of the Order of Niger (CON) and the Italian Commander of the Order of Merit. From 1978 to 1988, he served as the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of United Bank for Africa (UBA) and later went on to become the Chairman of First Bank of Nigeria Plc from 1996 to 2009. He is a former Chairman of Jaiz Bank, the first non-interest bank in Nigeria.
DR. USMAN YAHAYA KANSILA fnim,fnse
Board Vice Chairman
Dr. Usman Kansila is a highly experienced businessman with experience spanning over two decades in both public service and private sectors. He has been providing excellent services in construction, project management, procurement, and capacity building. He founded UYK Nigeria Ltd in 1998, which is a fully owned indigenous company with project signatures in construction and engineering project management all over Nigeria. He is also a philanthropist fully committed to poverty alleviation and economic empowerment of the less privileged. To support the education of less privileged citizens, he established the Yahaya Kansila Foundation to serve as the philanthropic wing of the UYK Holdings. Having successfully stamped its trademark in the areas of building construction in Nigeria, UYK is now making a giant stride in Roads and Bridges construction, ecological projects and the production of goods and services within and outside the shores of Nigeria. Born in Kano on October 13th, 1968, Dr. Usman is an alumnus of Kano Polytechnic where he bagged a Higher National Diploma in Accounting. He is a fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (fnse), fellow Nigerian Institute of Management (fnim) and a recipient of the prestigious ICAN merit award for excellence in 2023. In recognition of his contribution to the development of the national economy and boosting the financial sector, he was recognised with an Honorary Doctorate Degree (Honorus Causa) in Accountancy by Michael Okpara University, of Agriculture Umudike in Abia State Nigeria. Dr. Usman Yahaya Kansila is presently serving as the Chairman/CEO of UYK Holdings Limited. He travelled widely across the globe for business purposes. He is happily married and is blessed with five children.
ZAKARIA HUSSEINI BELLO
Non-Executive Director
Mr. Zakaria Husseini Bello is an esteemed alumnus of the University of Abuja, Nigeria, having obtained his Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from the institution. Renowned for his transformative leadership style, Mr. Bello is noted for his remarkable talent for motivating and uniting teams. His role as the Chairman of Zamrak Engineering Services Ltd has been pivotal in establishing the company’s reputation for outstanding performance in the engineering industry. He has also been instrumental in steering numerous high-profile government projects, showcasing his adeptness in managing complex engineering services. His skill in influencing collaborative and productive work environments within Swiftlink stands as proof of his proficiency in forging robust interpersonal relationships. He is well-recognized as a visionary change leader.
HAUWA ABBAS BELLO
Non-Executive Director
Hauwa Bello is an experienced banking professional with expertise in credit and risk management, public sector, corporate and commercial banking, private banking, finance, and auditing. She holds a degree in Economics, Accounting, and Financial Management from the University of Buckingham, UK, and has completed a leadership program at Harvard Business School. She is a member of several professional bodies, including the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), UK, the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE), USA, the Institute of Chartered Economists of Nigeria, the Institute of Capital Market Registrars, the Institute of Credit Administrators, and the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria. Hauwa started her career at First Bank UK Limited, then moved to Nigeria and worked at Oceanic Bank (now Ecobank) and Fidelity Bank, both as a Branch Manager. Currently, she is the Country Head of the Public Sector Group at Stanbic IBTC Bank.
NDUBUISI CHIAKPO
Director
Endy Chiakpo is an astute, result-oriented global technology executive with a profound curiosity and fascination with groundbreaking technologies and business models. As Country General Manager of IBM, he was responsible for leading and developing business strategies of 22 countries in Sub-Sahara Africa. He focused on enabling private and public sector executive leaders to adopt and leverage emerging technologies in the digital transformation of their organizations. He has cross-functional expertise in various business disciplines, consulting for top global financial and banking institutions. He held a number of high-level positions at IBM, rising from Development Engineer, Systems Engineering Manager, Senior Supercomputer Engineering Manager, to an executive management position as world-wide Program Director of IBM Security Business Division. He retired from IBM United States after over 30 years of service. He has a number of technical publications and holds a patent portfolio. Endy Chiakpo is an Ivy League-educated executive, who holds an M.B.A.from Columbia University, New York, M.S., Electrical Engineering, Syracuse University, New York, B.S., Physics, Texas Southern University. He is a member of COREN, Nigerian Society of Engineers, Computer Professionals of Nigeria, and the Nigerian Computer Society. He was a member of Nigerian Vision 2020. He is married with four children.
AHMED M. YABO, FCTI, FNIM, MCIArb (UK), ACIS
Non-Executive Director and Chair, Corporate Governance; Human Resources Committee
Ahmed Mohammed Yabo is a Legal Practitioner, Notary Public and Certified Corporate Governance and Risk/Internal Control Professional with over 23 years of cognate experience in public and private legal practice. In the Public Sector, Mr. Yabo served as in- house counsel for over 12 years at the Nigeria-Sao Tome & Principe Joint Development Authority, from where he voluntarily retired as Head, Legal and Secretariat. He later served as Senior Special Assistant to the General Counsel of the FCTA, among other roles. Mr. Yabo has been in Private Legal Practice for over 12 years and is currently the Managing Partner of Capital Chambers, Abuja. Among other professional engagements, he is currently participating in a consortium of legal experts advising on an integrated energy value chain project in North-Eastern Nigeria and a dedicated/captive power project in Abuja. He is also an entrepreneur with interest in agribusiness, real estate and mining with significant knowledge of board matters. An active member of several reputable national and international professional organizations with multi-disciplinary educational background, Mr. Yabo earned a combined honours degree in Law (LL.B) from Usman Danfodio University, Sokoto, Nigeria (UDUS), a B. L from the Nigerian Law School, LL.M in Energy Law & Policy and MSc. in Energy Finance (both with Distinction) from the Center for Energy, Petroleum & Mineral Law; Policy, University of Dundee, Scotland, UK. He also earned Postgraduate Diploma in Management Studies and MBA from UDUS. Mr. Yabo also holds Advanced Certificate in Commercial Arbitration from the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK). Mr. Yabo was a member of the 2012 globally highly regarded Harvard Kennedy School of Government’s COMTAX Programme and he has attended other Executive Education programmes at INSEAD, France and Harvard Law School, USA. He is a Certified Board Evaluator of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries & Administrators of Nigeria (ICSAN). Mr. Yabo is actively involved in volunteering activities in the areas of education, alumni, poverty alleviation, religious & political sensitization, etc.
GBOYEGA AWELEWA
Chief Operating and Technology Officer
Gboyega Awelewa is a certified software developer with over 15 years of experience in providing technology solutions and consulting services across various sectors. He has implemented payment and e-governance solutions for both Federal and State Government Agencies. Gboyega obtained his Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science from Lagos State University and is a member of the Nigerian Cyber Security Professionals. He has expertise in project management, product management, and IT infrastructure design and administration. He has equally undertaken several IT projects for notable organizations, including Chevron, Nigerian Export-Import Bank, Lagos State Government, Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, Jaunt International, Access Bank, Heritage Bank, North East Development Commission, and many others.
ESTHER CALEB GAIYA
Chief Marketing Officer
Esther Caleb Gaiya is a seasoned professional with over 20 years of experience in leadership, management, and business development. Her expertise spans Commercial Banking, Retail & SME, Risk Management, Public Sector Business, International Trade, Agricultural Business, Project Management, and Regional Business Management. Esther holds an MBA, a Postgraduate Diploma in Management (PGDM), and a Chartered Banking MBA (CBMBA) from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and the University of Bangor, UK, respectively. A certified member of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) and the National Institute of Marketing. She has a proven track record of driving business growth and delivering optimal value through strategic development initiatives.
PETER OODO
Head, Business Development
Peter Oodo is leader in product management on merchant payment implementation for payment service providers, with over 15 years of experience. He has led cross-functional teams of product managers, both for backend and front-end software developers, resulting in a successful launch of a functional terminal management system (TMS). He is skilled in product strategy, roadmap planning, and competitor analysis. Peter holds a Higher Diploma in Computer Engineering from Obafemi Awolowo University, Osun State, and a Diploma in Computer Desktop Publishing from the Institute of Data Processing Management of Nigeria. He has worked in various strategic positions at several IT and financial services companies, including Paymaster Limited Cellulant Nigeria, Byte-works Embedded Systems Ltd, and Reedpriceman Eclectics Technologies Ltd.
BLESSING JASPER-MBAMARA
Head, Finance & Accounting
Blessing Jasper-Mbamara possesses over 20 years of expertise in finance, internal control, and audit. She has worked across various sectors including banking, capital markets, aviation, and FMCG. Notable positions she has held include Team Lead, Internal Control and Audit at Fidelity Bank Ltd, Financial Controller at Nigerian Aviation Handling Plc, and Head of Control & Ethics at Future View Financial Services Ltd. Blessing is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), a Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA), an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (ACTI), and holds a Higher National Diploma (HND) from Federal Polytechnic Nekede Owerri. She is a skilled team player and exhibits strong leadership abilities.
OJONIMI AMEGO
Lead, Human Resources
Nimmy Amego is an accomplished professional with nearly a decade of experience in human resources management. She specializes in talent acquisition, employee relations, and organizational development. Nimmy has a proven track record of successfully leading cross-functional teams to achieve strategic HR objectives while fostering a positive, inclusive, and collaborative workplace culture. Nimmy has worked as a human resources professional in the hospitality and FMCG sectors across the UK and Nigeria. She holds a degree in Global Business Management from The Regent's University London and is a certified Associate Professional in Human Resources (aPHRi).
BENEDICT C. OLUBA
Head, Legal and Compliance
Benedict Oluba is well-skilled in financial services, corporate governance, legal and credit risk management, commercial drafting, ESG reporting, and regulatory compliance. He has held key positions in the Legal and Corporate Services departments of various financial institutions, including Infinity Trust Mortgage Bank Plc, Peace Microfinance Bank Ltd, and First City Monument Bank Ltd. Benedict also served as a Consultant on Corporate Governance at DCSL Corporate Services Ltd (formerly Deloitte Corporate Services Ltd). He holds a degree in Law from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and is an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, UK (ACIArb-UK), an Associate of the Institute of Chartered Company Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria (ICSAN), a member of the Compliance Institute, Nigeria (CIN), and a member of the Nigerian Bar Association.
OMORE FAITH ORIFA
Lead, Customer Support
Omore Faith Orifa is a graduate of International Studies and Diplomacy from the University of Benin, with over a decade of experience in leading high-performing teams in fast-paced environments. She has held several leadership positions in notable organizations such as the Nigeria Entrepreneurs Forum, the Organization of Women in Trade, and the A-TVET project. Additionally, she served as a committee member of the Global Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (GFOCAC) Summit: Perspective on Nigeria. Omore possesses excellent communication and interpersonal skills, which have helped her maintain positive relationships with stakeholders while delivering customer support excellence.