He has managed businesses in over 25 countries. With over  20 years of experience in retail financing, he develops solutions to facilitate access to credit for SMBs and underserved individuals. 

In the recently booming fintech ecosystem in Africa, Chidi Okpala (photo) is undoubtedly one of the entrepreneurs marking the ecosystem. He is the founder and CEO of Asante Financial Services Group, a Kenya-based fintech startup founded in 2018. 

His startup offers credit solutions with a focus on advancing the independence and financial well-being of underserved SMBs and individuals in Africa. The neo-bank provides funds to small businesses to help them manage their daily operations. It offers financing to licensed mobile money agents and provides loans to finance its customers' insurance premiums, ensuring maximum convenience and protection. To date, it has operations in Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria, and Rwanda and plans to expand to seven more countries by 2025.

Its founder, Chidi Okpala, studied finance at the Enugu State University of Science and Technology where he graduated with a B.sc. He also holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Nigeria (UNN Nsuka) and a Sloan Master of Science in Management from the London Business School.

Since June 2022, he is a member of the international board of directors of Medair, an organization that helps vulnerable people in isolated and devastated communities survive crises and recover with dignity.

Before founding his company, the entrepreneur worked for major financial institutions. Among others, he was the managing director in charge of retail banking in 19 markets in Africa for the UBA Group between 2010 and 2012. Over the three following years, he was the president and CEO of Airtel Money, where he grew the mobile money business into one of the continent's largest retail financial service providers. From 2016 to 2018, he also worked for Atlas Mara Ltd as managing director of the fintech and digital segments.

In 2022, Asante Financial Services Group was awarded the Neobank Rising Star Award for East Africa at the 8th Africa Bank 4.0 Awards ceremony.

Melchior Koba