How Leading Ladies Africa, Providus Bank drive financial inclusion

Leading Ladies Africa (LLA), a women-focused non-profit and media organisation, has collaborated with Providus Bank to drive financial inclusion in the country.

Financial inclusion has the potentials to unlock significant economic growth, according to speakers at the inaugural Women in Finance Forum in Lagos.

The organisation successfully hosted its inaugural Women in Finance Breakfast Forum to advance women’s leadership through financial and product inclusion, in partnership with Regal by Providus Bank and FirstBank of Nigeria.

Francesca Uriri, founder of Leading Ladies Africa, highlighted the organization’s commitment to advancing gender-inclusive leadership and equity for African women and girls.

“Our mission has always been clear: to advance gender-inclusive leadership, equity, and socioeconomic justice for African women and girls through programs, corporate events, content creation and development, advocacy, and communications campaigns. Today’s forum is yet another step in that journey,” she said.

Uriri emphasised that Nigeria’s finance sector, according to a report by Women’s World Banking and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), leads globally in the number of women in leadership roles. This remarkable accomplishment reflects the progress women have achieved in shattering barriers and redefining opportunities.

The first panel session, “Women’s Economic Power: Dismantling Gender Norms and Stereotypes,” moderated by Ifeoma Uddoh, CEO of Shecluded, examined the challenges and opportunities women face in the financial sector while exploring strategies to dismantle entrenched gender norms and stereotypes.

The panelists were Uche Uzoebo, managing director/CEO of Shared Agent Network Expansion Facilities (SANEF), Oremeyi Adeola Akah, chief customer experience officer of Interswitch, and Chinasa Collins Ogbuo, advocacy lead of Enhancing Financial Inclusion & Advancement (EFInA) Nigeria.

The second panel session, “Women’s Leadership and Career Development,” focused on strategies for advancing women’s careers in finance and fostering leadership skills. Speakers for the session were Rita Amene, divisional head of Commercial Banking at Providus Bank, Olufunke Amobi, deputy head of Operations at Stanbic IBTC Bank PLC of Nigeria, Henrietta Bankole-Olusina, vice president of Africa Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors and Chinwe Bode-Akinwande, head of Sponsorships, Partnerships, and Events at FirstBank of Nigeria.

Speaking at the event, Akah, said women are capable of great competence when given the right encouragement and stimulation.

She noted, “Get them to a level where they are educated as much as can be encouraged. Encourage the ones that want to read and want to go to school. Then in school, let us have a curriculum that does not segregate.”

She emphasised the need for education and celebrating female leadership. She shared her aspiration through the acronym ‘RISE,’ advocating for a world that will Recognize, Include, Support, and impart Equality for women. Uzoebo, added that women are capable of achieving great things when supported early on and given opportunities to succeed.

She emphasised the importance of mentorship, sponsorship, and collaboration among women. “We need to celebrate ourselves. We need to encourage mentorship. We need to start sponsoring women. Sponsoring, not discarding, that woman or that little girl, even in small ways. We must intentionally think of our fellow women when spaces open up,” she said.

She concluded by envisioning a world where both women and men work together to create balance and mutual support, adding: “I see a world where women are confident in their roles and femininity, and where men are confident that women are not a threat.”