Aishah N Ahmad is a central banker, board-level leader and seasoned financial expert with over 25 years of experience working across public policy and private financial markets. She was Deputy Governor for Financial System Stability at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) from March 2018 to September 2023, overseeing financial policy and regulation of banking, payment institutions and fintechs in Africa’s largest economy. Aishah is credited for galvanizing critical financial reforms such as the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act (BOFIA) 2020, Nigeria’s primary legal framework for financial services regulation and marshaling nationwide commitment to financial inclusion, which improved during her tenure from 63% to 74% (2018 – 2023), its highest increase to date. Her initiatives actively encouraged fintech innovation and helped widen access to digital financial services such as payment service banks; a landmark policy which permitted telcos to offer financial services in Nigeria.
Prior to her policy role, Aishah led private wealth management and retail banking businesses to growth at Stanbic IBTC, Zenith and Diamond Bank. She has chaired boards and led corporate transformations in payment, commodities and not for profit organisations. She is currently board member at SOS Children’s Villages International and the Financial Alliance for Women. A champion for gender equity, Aishah was executive chair of Women in Management, Business and Public Service (WIMBIZ). At the CBN, she institutionalized commitment to gender diversity and helped ensure female CEO representation in Nigeria’s banking sector reached an all time high of 25% during her tenure. Aishah is a CFA charterholder who also holds the CAIA designation. She has a Masters in Finance, an MBA (Finance) and a Bachelors in Accounting.