From Banking Hall to Boardroom: Three Nigerian Women Who Shaped the Industry
For decades, Nigeria’s banking sector was dominated by men. Today, six of the country’s 33 banks are led by women. Among these leaders, three stand out for rising through core banking roles. Amaka Onwughalu spent over 30 years in treasury, corporate banking and executive management before becoming Fidelity Bank’s first female chairman in January 2026. Bola Adesola built her career at Citibank and Standard Chartered. She broke new ground as the first Nigerian and first woman to lead Standard Chartered in West Africa and now chairs Ecobank Nigeria. Sola David-Borha joined IBTC in the 1980s, rose to CEO of Stanbic IBTC Bank and became chairman of Stanbic IBTC Holdings in 2021. Their journeys highlight how deep industry expertise can pave the way to the top.
Use The App To Win ₦1m
Stories are shared by community members. This article does not represent the official view of NaijaWorld — the author is solely responsible for its content.