Our Board Members
Our advisory board consists of accomplished professionals and industry leaders who play a vital role in guiding the strategic direction of our business school.
Oshone Ikazoboh
Oshone Ikazoboh is an experienced thought leader in the banking and IT industries. He is known for his ability to drive growth and innovation in even the most complex business environments.
With over 15 years of experience in business development and strategy, Oshone has established himself as a skilled problem-solver, capable of navigating intricate landscapes to achieve sustainable outcomes.
Oshone’s expertise lies in his ability to drive outcomes across various elements of payments, including merchant acquiring, processing, technology, payment facilitators, and other intermediaries. His approach is based on a deep understanding of business processes, customer relationship management (CRM), databases, SAP Basis, and IT strategy, making him a valuable asset driving growth and innovation in his industry.
Throughout his career, Oshone has held numerous executive and leadership positions, including serving as the managing director of payment services company now known as Hydrogen Payment Services Company, a board member at Edoinnovates, and Co-Founder of Business Development Partnerships and Operations at Zoto. He has also worked as a director and consultant at Hedonmark Group, where he was responsible for developing and executing innovative business strategies.
Oshone’s passion for solving complex business problems and his proven track record of success have earned him a reputation as a true thought leader and innovator in the banking and IT industries.
His commitment to lifelong learning is demonstrated by his impressive academic achievements, which include a postgraduate degree in Strategy and Innovation from Said Business School, University of Oxford, a BSC in Software Engineering from Liverpool John Moores University, as well as a Bachelor of Engineering in Networking and Telecommunications.
With Oshone’s extensive expertise, he is poised to help organizations achieve their goals by driving innovation and growth.
Deji Agboade
KPMG trained chartered accountant with strong consulting experience helping organisations of various sizes define and drive the operational requirements for growth. Over the last 20 years, I have worked with a broad range of businesses from owner managed to publicly quoted companies with up to $400 million in turnover on various business transformation, restructuring, technology, and financial management projects designed to position for growth and overall improved business performance in Africa and the UK.
I have extensive experience across multiple private and public sector organizations, including energy and utilities, infrastructure, oil and gas, manufacturing and consumer goods, telecommunications, real estate and services where I engage stakeholders across all levels of the organization from Boards to Executives, Entrepreneurs/ Start Up Founders, Senior and Junior Leaders and members of Government.
Folu Dele-Ijagbulu
Folu Dele-Ijagbulu is a deep thinker passionate about enhancing personal effectiveness and driving business growth.
With a wealth of professional experience spanning consulting, energy, government, and the not-for-profit sector, he has held leadership roles in Engineering, Supply Chain, Strategic Planning, and Risk Management. Currently, he is serving as the CEO of BuySimply, a leading finance management app tailored for African businesses. He is on the Board of several foundations, including Digital Peers International—a prominent ICT-focused NGO in Africa—and the TamBo Foundation, which concentrates on cancer advocacy among immigrants.
Folu earned his degree in Electronic and Electrical Engineering from OAU, Nigeria, where he excelled as the valedictorian. Complementing his engineering background, he holds an MBA from INSEAD.
Ugochukwu Ezeagwula
Ugochukwu Ezeagwula is a highly creative mind, an exceptional brand and digital strategist with a track record of professionalism, integrity and performance managing brands and businesses across diverse industries and markets. He has over 15 years of experience in creating and implementing brand and digital strategies for businesses in the financial services, academia, FMCG, Renewable Energy, ICT, Oil and Gas sectors.He is currently the Managing Director/CEO, Identita Brand Concepts Limited, a branding and strategic digital agency based in Lagos. Prior to founding Identita, He had previous work experiences at British America Tobacco (BAT) and Bank PHB (Now Keystone Bank).Ugochukwu Ezeagwula holds a B.Eng in Civil Engineering from the Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO), an Integrated Brand Management certificate from Orange Academy – Africa’s first practical School of Integrated Brand Experience, a Professional Diploma in Digital Marketing from Digital Marketing Institute, Ireland and a Certificate in Enterprise Management from the Enterprise Development Centre, Pan-Atlantic University (Lagos Business School). He is a recipient of several awards including the ‘Best in Logic’ from the prestigious Orange Academy (Africa’s 1st School of Integrated Brand Experience). He is a highly sought-after conference speaker and trainer. He has presented papers at the Ghana Digital Summit, Digital Church Summit and was a panelist at the Mobile West Africa Conference. Ugochukwu Ezeagwula serves on the board of several companies and not-for-profit organisations, and is an adjunct faculty member of Orange Academy and BrandSchool, South Africa.
“ There is never a good knife made of bad steel” – Benjamin Franklin
Samson
Samson is a Certified Risk Analyst (CRA), Chartered Stockbroker, Authorized Dealing Clerk of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, Associate of the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment, UK and Fellow, Global Academy of Finance and Management (GAFM). He has over 16 years working experience in the financial services industry spanning Banking and Capital Market with core expertise in Enterprise-wide Risk Management., Business Development, Strategy, Financial Advisory, Internal Control, Treasury Management & Securities trading. He worked at United Capital Plc as the Group Head, Risk Management & Internal Control. Prior to joining United Capital Plc, Samson worked in the Risk Management Division of Guaranty Trust Bank for almost 10 years.
Samson studied at the Obafemi Awolowo university where he bagged B.Sc in Microbiology and Masters in Business Administration. He also studied Disruption Innovation at Harvard Business School, Innovation & Commercialization at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Ad
Joy Lawal
Joy Lawal is the Dean of .NG Academy, a special purpose vehicle of Nigeria Internet Registration Association – a stakeholder-led organisation charged with managing Nigeria’s country code Top Level Domain Name (ccTLD) – committed to developing relevant skills in the digital economy through innovative learning solutions. She combines her passion for education, strategic planning, and impact creation to steer the institution towards excellence.
She has extensive experience working in the education sector, having previously worked at a top business school in Africa. With a comprehensive understanding of organisational dynamics, she excels at developing and executing strategic plans that align with an institution’s goals and vision.
Her recognition of the importance of social impact has motivated Joy to work with nonprofit organisations that aim to create positive change. As a result, she has been involved in various nonprofit roles for the past fifteen years, playing a vital role in developing and implementing programmes that aim to improve the lives of individuals and communities across the African continent.
Joy has an M.Sc. in Political Science from the University of Lagos, Lagos and a B.Sc. in International Relations from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.
Core Values - A.R.I.S.E.
Adaptability
We recognize the rapid pace of change in the business world and equip our students with the adaptability to thrive in any circumstance.
Resilience
We teach the importance of resilience, preparing students to overcome challenges and setbacks with determination and perseverance.
Innovation
We embrace innovation as the lifeblood of entrepreneurship. We constantly seek new ways to teach, learn, and adapt to the ever-changing business landscape.
Student-Centric
Our students are at the heart of everything we do. We are committed to providing a personalized and supportive learning environment that caters to their unique needs and aspirations.
Empowerment
We empower our students to take control of their futures, equipping them with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to navigate the business world successfully.
Leave no one behind
Discover our many courses and start learning and growing today. We want to make business education available to everyone, and we can do it together for a brighter future.