Dr. Olayemi Odufeso, Managing Director and CEO, ChamsAccess Limited
Dr. Olayemi Odufeso, the Managing Director and CEO of ChamsAccess Limited (a subsidiary of Chams HoldCo Plc), has spent over two decades at the intersection of finance, technology, and strategic management. Her career began during the foundational stages of Nigeria’s digital banking expansion, a period that required both technical aptitude and a deep understanding of the infrastructure needed to support emerging economies. With a background in Statistics from the University of Ilorin, Dr. Odufeso’s entry into the sector was driven by a data-centric perspective on organizational progress. Her initial work managing Automated Teller Machine (ATM) operations and bank reconciliation processes provided her with firsthand insight into transaction settlements and the critical role of digital infrastructure in driving financial inclusion at scale.
Career Progression and the ‘Ownership’ Philosophy
Dr. Odufeso’s journey with ChamsAccess began with a mandate to establish and lead new business lines aligned with her expertise in corporate services and transaction management. Over the past 20 years, she has held various leadership roles within the ChamsAccess Ltd, including Group Head of Corporate Services and Chief Operating Officer, before being appointed Managing Director in December 2024. This transition was the result of deliberate, ‘holistic exposure’ across finance, strategy, and human resources, allowing her to understand the operational heartbeat of the organization from the ground up.
Her leadership outlook was significantly shaped by working under a Managing Director who was a dedicated ‘people-builder.’ This environment of delegated responsibility helped Odufeso develop her core philosophy: that leadership is a state of continuous, active preparation. She maintains that if one aspires to operate at a specific executive level, they must begin to think, prepare, and perform at that level long before the title is officially conferred. She describes her current style as a blend of democratic and transformational leadership. This approach focuses on empowering individuals to lead themselves and reach their highest potential, while maintaining the firm decisiveness required for sustainable organizational growth. Her commitment to creating a supportive work environment was recently recognized in 2025 when ChamsAccess received the ‘Best SME’ award at the Lagos Business School Corporate Family Responsibility Index, highlighting her focus on the ‘Work/Family Integration’ of her team.
The Strategic Evolution of ChamsAccess
Since its inception in 2007, ChamsAccess has undergone a significant strategic shift. Originally focused on hardware deployment—specifically kiosks and ATMs—the company has evolved into a primary provider of integrated technology and biometric solutions. Dr. Odufeso attributes this evolution to strategic intentionality and a willingness to move beyond simple product distribution into proprietary solution development and complex systems integration. This pivot was driven by the recognition that hardware alone is insufficient in a rapidly digitizing market; true value lies in the software and biometric layers that ensure security and trust.
A defining milestone in this journey was the company’s central role in the Bank Verification Number (BVN) project. This initiative was a transformative moment for identity management within Nigeria’s financial sector, and ChamsAccess spearheaded the deployment that helped reshape the entire ecosystem. Today, the company distinguishes itself through a customer-centric philosophy that spans pre-sales consultation, seamless implementation, and robust post-sales support. This commitment to excellence is reflected in high-level partnerships with international organizations such as Zebra Technologies (where the firm was named Partner of the Year for West Africa in both 2018 and 2022) and Dermalog, a global leader in biometrics that recognized ChamsAccess for ‘Outstanding Partnership and Excellent Corporation’ in 2024.
The company’s reputation for quality has been validated by numerous recent accolades, including the ‘Best Card Solution Company of the Year’ (2024) at the National Quality Order of Merit Awards and the ‘Customer Service Standard Award’ (2025) for outstanding digital innovation and engagement. These honors underscore the company’s successful transition into a software-led service provider.
Resilience through Operational Turbulence
True leadership is often revealed during seasons of restoration. Dr. Odufeso has led the organization through periods of significant operational pressure, including a turbulent phase marked by financial losses and staff attrition. During this ‘refining’ period, she leaned into a people-centric approach, drawing on her professional background as an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria (CIPM). She focused on stabilizing morale and ensuring that the remaining team felt a sense of shared purpose and transparency regarding the company’s recovery path.
Stabilizing the business required a combination of empathy and decisive recovery strategies. She reflects that while challenges in the tech sector are inevitable, stagnation is optional. Her resilience during these periods was bolstered by her personal faith, which she cites as a sustaining force that anchors her decisions and strengthens her resolve under pressure. Her contributions to executive management were formally recognized in 2022 when she received an Honorary Doctorate Degree in Executive Leadership and Management from Geofidel Executive Education UK and Stratford University USA. Furthermore, her leadership was recognized by the Business Times Newspaper in 2024, naming ChamsAccess among the Top 100 businesses making a significant impact in Nigeria.
Legacy, Advocacy, and the Path Forward
Beyond her corporate role, Dr. Odufeso is a prominent advocate for professional excellence and women in leadership. She is a Fellow of the National Institute of Credit Administration (2025) and an active Fellow of the WIMBIZ Women on Board Mentoring program. In 2024, she was named among The Guardian Nigeria’s 25 Exceptional and Most Value-Adding Female Professionals, a distinction that reflects her impact on the broader professional landscape in West Africa.
Looking ahead, the future of ChamsAccess is defined by geographic expansion and the deepening of its solution portfolio into life-enriching technologies. Dr. Odufeso remains passionate about nation-building, viewing her corporate success as a platform for wider societal impact. She believes that as technology continues to evolve, the human element—mentorship, ethics, and vision—remains the most critical component of any digital frontier.
To the next generation of African women, her message is one of fierce intentionality: “Consistency compounds. Define your vision clearly and begin preparing for it today. Acquire relevant skills, cultivate strong networks, and refuse stagnation.” For Dr. Odufeso, leadership remains a stewardship of people and purpose, proving that the opportunity to create value is what outlasts any single tenure. Under her guidance, ChamsAccess continues to prove that African-led technology firms can compete on a global stage while remaining rooted in local impact.