Mastercard appoints Femi-Lawal as new country manager for West Africa

Mastercard, a digital payments and technology company, has announced the appointment of Folasade Femi-Lawal as its new country manager and area business head for West Africa.

This was disclosed in a statement on Tuesday. Femi-Lawal brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the role, with over 25 years of multifaceted experience spanning financial services, management consulting, telecommunications, and business advisory services.

As country manager, she is responsible for driving the company’s strategic vision, innovation, and growth agenda, as well as strengthening partnerships with key stakeholders, and advancing the company’s mission of building a more connected and inclusive digital economy in West Africa.

Mark Elliott, division president, of Sub-Saharan Africa, Mastercard, stated that she arrives at a pivotal time when digital innovation is transforming the country’s payments landscape, and moving Nigeria toward a cashless society.

“We are delighted to welcome Folasade to the Mastercard family. Folasade’s vast experience across the digital payments ecosystem will be a huge asset to the Mastercard business in West Africa.

“Folasade will work closely with various private and public sector stakeholders in the country to help further this transformation. Her proven track record of leadership, innovation, and dedication to driving positive change and results aligns perfectly with our vision for the region.” Elliott stated.

According to the statement, Femi-Lawal brings a wealth of experience as a trusted senior executive, having displayed her ability to consistently achieve business growth objectives in start-up, turnaround, and rapidly changing environments.

It stated that she has successfully led initiatives in Mobile Financial Services and Digital Banking Strategy at First Bank, Nigeria, over the past decade, and significantly grew the card subscriber base and market share as the head of cards and messaging business.

Prior to her tenure at First Bank, Femi-Lawal served as the head of the loan monitoring unit at the United Bank of Africa, overseeing critical aspects of credit risk management.