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Kogi State born banker and Microfinance expert, Dr Abdul Rashid Olarewaju Kazeem will next week join the most privileged sons and daughters of Ekinrin-Adde in the Omo Atata Hall of Fame.
Investiture of Dr Kazeem, according to a statement signed by the Publicity Secretary of Ekinrin-Adde Community Development Association, EACDA, Mr. Victor Adekanye, is scheduled for Friday June 24.
Kazeem, by the investiture, belongs to the second set of noble sons/daughters of Ekinrin-Adde, who have excelled and done the Ekinrin-Adde Community proud in their chosen career.
Dr Olanrewaju Kazeem is the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Baobab Microfinance Bank Nigeria Limited a subsidiary of Baobab Group, with Headquarters in Paris.
Dr. Kazeem has over 25 years of financial services experience spanning different banking segments such as Credit Risk Management, Marketing, Corporate, and Public Sector Banking, Group Relationship Management, Policy and Product Development and Formulation, Microfinance Banking, and Digital Financial Services. He was the pioneer Managing Director of Mainstreet MFB Ltd (Former Afribank MFB), a position which he occupied from 2008 – 2014 before he joined Microcred Nigeria now Baobab Microfinance Bank in 2014 as the MD/CEO. Dr. Kazeem is also the Chairman of the Multi-Joy Group of hotels and Peace Haven Hotel, Abuja.
Dr. Kazeem as the Managing Director of Mainstreet MFB Ltd nurtured the bank to profitability within three years and maintained a high portfolio quality. He joined Baobab Microfinance Bank in June 2014, and pioneered the rapid expansion program of Baobab Microfinance Bank, taking the bank from 6 branches to 29 branches and also increasing its customer base from 20,000 clients to over 150,000 clients with a Gross Loan Portfolio of about N20Billion within 7 years. He has supported over 300,000 Micro and SME businesses across Nigeria
Dr. Kazeem obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree from the prestigious Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Nigeria in 1988, an MBA (Finance) from Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Nigeria in 2001 as well as a Masters’ Degree in Financial Economics from the University of Abuja Gwagwalada, Nigeria in 2011 he recently capped his academic profile with a doctorate in Management Finance with a specialty in Microfinance at the Walden University, the USA in July 2018.
Dr. Kazeem is a Certified Microfinance Banker and a Chartered Accountant, Associate member of Association of Cost and Executive Accountants of Nigeria, Institute of Credit Administrators of Nigeria, and Institute of Capital Market Registrars and has attended various courses both locally and internationally including the renowned Microfinance Institute Turin, Italy in 2012. He is a professional Microfinance and SME business development, expert.
Dr. Kazeem’s areas of interest include community development and people development and this earn him several awards from local and international arenas. His foundation has supported over 500 widows, and scholarships for students in Primary and Secondary school in Iyamoye and Ekinrin Adde. He is a lover of God and humanity, which has led him to publish a daily devotion called “Mind of God Series”.
He was recently showcased in Forbes International Magazine among the top 100 CEOs responsible for the growth of the Nigerian economy. He has won several awards also in his capacity as the CEO of Baobab Nigeria, and equally led the bank to many laurels including Business Day MSME Microfinance Bank of the Year 2021, 50 Most Impactful & Award winning CEO 2022 by Guardian Newspaper. Others are Financial Service Personality of the Year 2022 by African Leadership awards, West Africa Most Outstanding Micro Lending Service 2022 and Africa’s Most Innovative Money Lending Brand of the Year 2020. In capping it all, his visionary leadership has transformed Baobab Nigeria to be recognized as among the Great Place to Work 2022
Dr. Olanrewaju Kazeem is committed to the development of the black race and is currently working on a project to expose the beautiful side of the African black race to the entire world.
