Speaking

Ideas, delivered in person

A much sought-after speaker at business events, Olu Akanmu brings decades of C-suite experience to stages across Africa and beyond.

Keynote Themes

What he speaks about

  • 01

    Strategy & Growth

    Blue Ocean strategy in payments and financial services; customer insights as the heart of strategy; asymmetric advantage and competing against the well-resourced.

  • 02

    Innovation in Traditional Firms

    Why incumbents struggle to innovate — marketing myopia, legacy anchors, efficiency traps — and how to re-propel innovation and a growth mindset.

  • 03

    Financial Inclusion & Digital Public Infrastructure

    Extending digital financial services to the completely excluded; digital identity, G2P cash transfers, and payments as a catalyst for economic growth.

  • 04

    Purpose-Driven Leadership

    Combining profits with purpose; values under pressure; leadership reflections drawn from six industries and the Stoics.

Olu Akanmu on the TEDxLagos stage
Selected Engagements

Where he has spoken

2024

TEDxLagos

“The Future of Financial Inclusion” — on national digital identity and payments.

2025

IFC Digital Financial Services Knowledge Exchange

Keynote on digitally-delivered government-to-person cash transfers anchored on the National Identification Number.

2025

RAIN Summit 1.0, Ibadan

Address as Academic Director, Tech-Leap Initiative, Lagos Business School.

Featured · Podcast

Frontier Fintech Podcast, with Samora Kariuki

“The Evolution of Nigerian Fintech: Scale, Scars, and Strategy” — a feature conversation on two decades at the frontier of Nigerian finance and technology. Listen →

2023

Technext Convo

On strategy, growth and the OPay experience.

2022

Jericho Business Club, Ibadan

Keynote: “Elite Role, Purpose and National Development.”

Ongoing

Lagos Business School & Corporate Retreats

Advanced Management Programme sessions; management retreats for leading insurers, brewers and banks.

Booking

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