Olawale Akanbi honored with 2024 Global Recognition Award, 2024 Industry Champion Award

Nimot Adetola

In a year marked by industry transformation and rising demand for strategic leadership, Olawale Akanbi has been recognized with two major honors: the 2024 Global Recognition Award and the 2024 Industry Champion Award.

The accolades highlight his longstanding contribution to Africa’s fintech and consumer innovation sectors and position him among a growing group of thought leaders shaping the continent’s future.

“I’m deeply grateful,” Akanbi said. “It’s a reminder that the work we’re doing, building scalable strategies, creating sustainable growth, empowering teams, is having a real impact.”

Best known for his tenure at Interswitch, where he is the Divisional Head of Growth Marketing, Akanbi has consistently championed growth strategy that blends data, innovation, and customer insight. His leadership style emphasizes practical execution and long-term value creation, earning him the trust of peers across both emerging startups and established enterprises.

“Being honored with the Industry Champion Award is very special to me,” he added. “It doesn’t just mark an achievement; it traces the steps taken to get here. The years of showing up, learning, and growing alongside some of the best teams in the industry.”

Though 2024 has brought notable achievements, Akanbi’s record of recognition stretches further back. In 2012, while working with GSK Consumer Nigeria, he was awarded Best Brand Manager, a moment he still credits with solidifying his early direction.

“That award was pivotal,” he noted. “It gave me confidence and clarity at a vital time in my career.”

Beyond his corporate accomplishments, Akanbi also supports initiatives that reflect his commitment to community and legacy. As President of the Stadium Grammar School Old Students Association (Class of ’95), he has led fundraising and revitalization efforts aimed at giving back to the school that shaped him.

“The real reward is being able to support others,” he said. “Awards are wonderful, but the relationships and shared wins matter even more.”

With these latest recognitions, Akanbi remains focused on the road ahead. He sees them not as a conclusion, but as a milestone that signals momentum and new possibilities.

“There’s still important work to be done. These honors are encouragement to keep going, to keep innovating, leading, and helping others do the same.”

Olawale Akanbi continues to shape conversations around fintech expansion, growth marketing, and business transformation. His work reflects both expert insight and an unwavering belief in the power of strategic thinking to drive progress across the continent.