Three leading figures in Africa’s fintech and cybersecurity sectors have been announced as panel discussants for the Realnews 13th Anniversary Lecture Series, scheduled to take place on Wednesday, November 19, 2025, at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Ikeja GRA, Lagos.
Themed “Cybersecurity, Illicit Financial Flows and Achieving Agenda 2063 in Africa,” the high-level panel will feature Lasbery C. Oludimu (LLM, MCIArb, ACIS), Vice President of Global Operations and Managing Director, Nigeria Yellow Card Financial Inc; Dr. Favour Femi-Oyewole, Group Chief Information Security Officer, Access Bank Plc; and Mr. Abdul Rahman M. Mustapha, Chief Operating Officer, Intelligence and Security Services Support Sector, Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU).
The event, organised by Realnews Magazine and Publications Limited, publishers of Realnews Magazine Online, will also be chaired and moderated by Justice Ayotunde Phillips, former Chief Judge of Lagos State and ex-chairman of LASIEC.
Profiles of the Discussants
Lasbery C. Oludimu, a seasoned fintech and legal expert, oversees Yellow Card’s operations in 20 African countries and plays a pivotal role in the firm’s Group Governance and Risk Committee. She is renowned for her expertise in blockchain, digital assets, and regulatory compliance. A graduate of Madonna University and the University of Lagos, Oludimu has been recognised as one of the Top 50 Women Leaders in Financial Services 2024 by The Financial Technology Report and nominated for the Tech Diplomacy Award by Women in Tech Global.
Dr. Favour Femi-Oyewole, a global cybersecurity authority and the first African woman to become a Blockchain Certified Professional, serves as Group Chief Information Security Officer and Data Protection Officer at Access Bank Plc. With over 25 years of experience, she has previously led Enterprise Risk Management at the Nigerian Stock Exchange. Femi-Oyewole is an alumna of several prestigious institutions including Harvard, MIT, Oxford, and Wharton, and currently serves as Vice-Chair of the Global C|CISO Scheme Committee.
Mr. Abdul Rahman M. Mustapha brings extensive experience in financial intelligence, national security, and counter-terrorism. At NFIU, he has championed initiatives aimed at integrating financial and defence intelligence to combat money laundering, terrorism financing, and transnational organised crime. His policy expertise supports inter-agency coordination and national resilience against asymmetric threats.
Background on Realnews Lecture Series
Since its inception, the Realnews Anniversary Lecture Series has served as a platform for thought leadership on Africa’s development. Previous speakers include Ambassador Professor Ibrahim Gambari, Brigadier General Buba Marwa, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, and former Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama, among others.
Founded to promote investigative journalism, Realnews focuses on critical sectors such as governance, the economy, environment, and human rights. Its motto, “For God and Humanity,” reflects its mission to influence positive change through fact-based reporting and informed public discourse.
Signed:
Maureen Chigbo
Publisher/Editor, Realnews Magazine Online
mechigbo@gmail.com
