Professional Experience:
1. Senior Consultant, African Development Bank Group, 2020 - Present; Representing the Bank on the Board of Shelter Afrique. First female Board Chair oversaw a successful restructuring, transformation process, resulting in significant turnaround in the institution’s operating results; FY 2024 reported a profit for the first time in 7 years; Coordinated the mobilization of financing for the Bank to the tune of $120 million. Grew AUM to over $300 m; disbursements from a low of 23% Y on Y to 45% in 2024; Reduced ratio of NPLs by 46%; Improved credit ratings for the institution from junk to investor grade.
2. Founder/CEO - ALPHACITIES Consulting, 2019 - Present. Providing top notch consultancy services to major public and private sector clients like the World Bank, the AfDB, Central Bank of Nigeria, For example, partnered with GIZ and Castalia Advisory on the set up and operationalization of a US$100 million Energy Efficiency Fund to scale up Renewable Energy projects in the housing space across Africa.
3. Executive Director - Nigeria Mortgage Refinance Company (NMRC), 2014 - 2018. Coordinated set up, operationalization of NMRC; and superintended first bond issuance to raise capital; Coordinated various governmental, private sector initiatives to support for the mobilization of the US$300 million World Bank IDA credit for a Nigeria Housing Finance Program, with $250m allocated to NMRC; Coordinated the structuring of a US$1.2 billion Medium Term Note program guaranteed by the Federal government to support the NMRC’s bond issuances; Coordinated the implementation of major sector structural reform initiatives aimed at de-risking the nascent Nigerian mortgage market, and at instituting the enabling environment for growth and access.
4. Senior Advisor, Minister of Finance, Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2012 - 2015. Advised and supported the Minister on several successful fiscal policy interventions into the Nigerian economy; Coordinated concept development, execution, tracking of major economic development and budgeting initiatives, leading to GDP growth of 6% for Nigeria; reduced tax to GDP ratios, enhanced foreign direct investment (FDI), and the rebasing of the country’s GDP data to make it the largest economy in Sub-Saharan Africa; Coordinated the design and execution of an innovative gender budgeting framework implemented in partnership with five key sectoral ministries and UK DFiD, leading to improved livelihood outcomes for two million of girls and women in the country.
5. Communications and Knowledge Specialist, Cities Alliance Trust Fund, World Bank Group, 2004 - 2012. Established successful partnerships and advocacy initiatives to integrate the Alliance's key products lines - Slum Upgrading (SU) and City Planning Strategy (CDS) - into national urban policy programs of client countries. Impact: Improved urban planning processes, sustainable slum upgrading programs, and higher livability indices for citizens, particularly women; Collaborated with UN-Habitat and other Alliance partners on the roll-out of several knowledge management initiatives, including capacity building of mayors and other city officials, organizing webinars/seminars or policy dialogues on issues such as climate change-linked disaster risk, mitigation, and adaptation, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, among others; Produced several knowledge products to capture and disseminate results and lessons learned – publications series, Annual Reports, Notes, Study Guides for Local Government Practitioners.
6. Communications Officer - Africa Human Development Vice Presidency, World Bank Group, Washington DC, 2003 - 2004. Undertook analyses of education policy reform processes and practices in East African economies for a World Bank education sector project focused on enhanced access to girls’ education; Coordinated the mobilization, advocacy components of a $150 million Partnership for Polio Project, leading to 98% eradication rate across West Africa.