Dr. Omolara Ololade Akanji has had a distinguished career in finance and banking, with significant contributions to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) as the Director of the Trade and Exchange Department. She was responsible for managing the Foreign Exchange market and overseeing trade regulations, including the International Trade Finance and Trade Malpractices Committee.

Awarded the Papal Knight of St. Sylvester in October 2020, Dr. Akanji retired from the CBN in December 2007 but was recalled as a consultant to the Governor on Statistics from 2008 to 2011. She holds degrees from the University of Ibadan, University of Reading, and University of Kent, and a PhD in Finance from the European American University. She is also an alumna of the Harvard School of Governance.

Dr. Akanji is an ICC Certified trainer and a member of numerous professional bodies, including the Chartered Institute of Bankers, Nigeria Institute of Management, and the Institute of Information Management. She currently serves as the Chairman of the Banking Commission, ICC Nigeria, and is a Global Director of ICC in Paris. She has also held independent director roles at Sterling Bank Plc and Interswitch Company.