Folake Oluwafemi

Nigerian fintech innovator who empowered women through financial inclusion initiatives

Folake Oluwafemi is a Nigerian entrepreneur and founder of Kudan, a fintech platform revolutionizing microfinance access for women in underserved African communities. Launched in 2015, her platform has provided over $20 million in loans to over 50,000 female entrepreneurs across 12 African countries. Oluwafemi's work was recognized by the World Economic Forum as a Technology Pioneer in 2018. Her approach combines blockchain technology with traditional savings groups to create secure financial ecosystems in regions lacking formal banking infrastructure.

Born in Lagos, Oluwafemi's early career in international development with UN agencies exposed her to the challenges faced by women in accessing capital. This inspired her to create a decentralized lending model that uses mobile money and community-based credit scoring. Her 2020 WEF report demonstrated how her platform reduced default rates by 40% compared to traditional microfinance institutions. In 2019, she partnered with Mastercard to launch the 'Women's Financial Freedom Index' measuring economic inclusion across Africa.

Her advocacy extends to policy circles, advising the African Union on digital finance frameworks. Oluwafemi's impact has been most pronounced in post-conflict regions like northern Nigeria and South Sudan where her platform operates cashless lending systems in conflict zones. She currently serves on the board of the Africa Digital Bank Foundation, working to scale her model across the continent.