Dr. Folasade Femi-Lawal began her professional career at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), where she built a strong foundation in audit, compliance, and business advisory services. It was here that her understanding of financial systems, corporate governance, and strategic business management took root.
She went on to join United Bank for Africa (UBA), where she took on senior leadership responsibility in credit risk strategy, deepening her expertise in financial services and institutional management across one of Africa’s largest banking groups.
At Airtel Nigeria, Folasade stepped into a broader operational leadership role, overseeing regional performance across eight zones and aligning business goals with on-the-ground execution. This role sharpened her ability to lead complex, multi-layered organisations and deliver measurable results at scale.
Her most defining corporate chapter came at First Bank of Nigeria, where she made history as the Pioneer Head of Digital Banking, building and leading one of Nigeria’s most significant digital banking operations from the ground up. She later served as Head of Cards & Messaging Business, managing a portfolio of over 12 million cards and driving large-scale digital transformation initiatives that changed how millions of Nigerians interacted with financial services.
During her tenure at FirstBank, Folasade led two of her most impactful projects. In partnership with UNICEF, she developed a mobile payment solution for rural polio-eradication volunteers, bringing financial access to communities far removed from traditional banking infrastructure. She also led a financial empowerment programme for 2,500 women entrepreneurs in collaboration with the Cherie Blair Foundation, equipping women with the digital and financial tools to grow their businesses and secure their economic futures.
Folasade is currently the Country Manager and Area Business Head for West Africa at Mastercard, where she leads the company’s strategic expansion, brand presence, and payment innovation across the region. Working at the intersection of government, regulation, and technology, she drives Mastercard’s vision of a World Beyond Cash across one of the world’s most dynamic and fast-growing markets.
She is a member of the Forbes Business Development Council, sits on the Open Banking API Standards Committee, and serves on the board of Financial Service Innovators (FSI). She has served as Vice-Chair of the Committee of e-Business Industry Heads (CeBIH) and is a Guest Faculty Member of Tekedia Institute. She is also a committed supporter of WimBiz, the FirstBank Women Network, and SheFintech, organisations dedicated to the advancement and empowerment of women in business and technology.
Folasade holds a B.Sc. in Accounting from Obafemi Awolowo University, an MBA in Information Management Systems, and executive education credentials from Harvard Business School, London Business School, and Pan-African University. She is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), the Chartered Institute of Taxation, and the Association of Enterprise Risk Managers.
Her leadership has been recognised with numerous honours including Outstanding Woman in Management (United Nations Association of Nigeria), Top 50 Women in Management Africa (WiMA), LinkedIn Payment Influencer of the Year 2024 (EMEA), one of the 45 Most Influential Women in Digital Transformation (2024), Top Tech Career Women in Africa (2025), Fintech CEO of 2025 (African Global Economic Forum), and Fintech Trailblazer of the Year 2025 (TIA Awards). She was also awarded an Honorary Doctoral Degree from Veridian Christian University, USA, in recognition of her outstanding impact in business and Christian leadership.
With a leadership style rooted in purpose, empathy, and excellence, Dr. Folasade Femi-Lawal continues to shape Africa’s future of inclusive innovation, one partnership, one policy, and one person at a time.