Nigerian Finance Expert Reports Measurable Gains in Financial Inclusion and Public Sector Efficiency

Fadekemi Ajakaiye

New programme results and institutional feedback have highlighted measurable gains in financial inclusion and public sector efficiency linked to initiatives led by Nigerian banking and finance expert, Dr Chinedu Okeke. With over two decades of experience across banking leadership, risk management and community development, Dr Okeke has worked with public agencies and private institutions to strengthen systems, widen access and improve service delivery.

The projects cut across financial literacy, public finance reforms and sustainable energy. In banking and public sector roles, Dr Okeke helped drive a 300 percent rise in liabilities and profit in key groups, structured emergency capital of about N100 billion for government programmes, and supported the rollout of a 30 million dollar e-collection initiative in transport. His operational work includes turning around underperforming branches, achieving a non-performing loan ratio of 4 percent and developing funding pipelines exceeding N1 trillion for priority sectors.

At the community level, he has focused on practical inclusion. Through the Dr Okeke Financial Empowerment Initiative, more than 160 government officials have been certified in anti-fraud protocols, while training for market women and small businesses has led to the formalisation of eight savings groups and grants for over seventy women-led enterprises. “Once the women groups were formalised, the numbers shifted. Savings grew, repayment stayed disciplined, and many first-time entrepreneurs could finally access small grants and credit,” Dr Okeke said.

Speaking on the focus of his programmes, Dr Okeke said the work is designed to move from policy to real outcomes for ordinary people. “Financial solutions must translate from theory to the daily lives of people, whether it is helping women open their first bank account, supporting entrepreneurs to access clean energy or helping a government agency prevent fraud. Only then are we truly building resilience,” he said.

Recent institutional reviews point to broader effects where these models have been adopted. Reported outcomes include a 15 percent reduction in non-performing loans, a 300 percent surge in loan approvals after new risk frameworks were introduced, and more than N500 million in public fund optimisation through tighter controls and transparency. A fiscal transparency model credited with saving N280 million for Enugu North has since been adapted by multiple agencies, alongside risk frameworks now used by state institutions to improve credit access and reduce losses. “We do not announce reforms, we measure them. Where the new risk checks went in, processing time fell, approvals rose and losses came down. That is what matters to lenders and to the people they serve,” he added.

Beyond operations, Dr Okeke contributes to policy and knowledge sharing. He has published on credit risk management and banking strategy in international journals and serves in advisory roles with programmes such as the Africa Start Up Festival and the Presidential Initiative for Compressed Natural Gas. He also works with state governments on risk and collections frameworks intended to strengthen service delivery.

Looking ahead, Dr Okeke said the priority remains building models that can scale across regions and sectors. “Lasting change depends on building trust, strengthening systems and making economic empowerment accessible to those often left behind,” he said. “The goal is to keep improving the tools that are already working and to extend them to communities that need them most.”

The programmes continue to attract interest from agencies seeking practical ways to widen inclusion, reduce waste and support small businesses, with further rollouts under consideration where capacity and oversight structures are in place.