BREAKING: Access Bank Appoints Femi Jaiyeola As New Chief Risk Officer
Access Bank Plc has appointed Femi Jaiyeola as its new Chief Risk Officer, further strengthening its executive leadership in risk management, regulatory compliance, and corporate governance.
Jaiyeola confirmed the appointment in a recent post, describing the new role as a defining moment in his extensive career spanning over 25 years in the financial services industry, with deep expertise across risk, compliance, audit, and banking operations.
Who is Femi Jaiyeola?
Before his current role at Access Bank, Femi Jaiyeola served as Group Chief Conduct & Compliance Officer at Access Bank between November 2022 and January 2026.
He was the Chief Compliance Officer at Sterling Bank Plc from April 2019 to November 2022, where he played a key role in transforming compliance culture and strengthening regulatory frameworks.
Prior to that, he was Chief Compliance Officer at the erstwhile Diamond Bank Plc from August 2016 to March 2019, helping drive compliance strategy at a significant period in the bank’s history.
Jaiyeola’s career also includes leadership roles in internal audit and risk functions at major international banks.
He was Head of Audit for Nigeria and the West Africa Cluster at Standard Chartered Bank, overseeing audit governance and risk assurance across the region. Internationally, he held senior audit positions in the United Kingdom, including Vice President in Internal Audit at Citigroup, London, and Manager of Internal Audit at Barclays Bank, London, where he led global assurance activities.
Earlier in his career, Jaiyeola held roles including Head of Internal Control & Compliance at Bond Bank Ltd, Senior Operations Officer at Citibank Nigeria, and Senior Auditor at Arthur Andersen (now KPMG).
These experiences equipped him with a broad perspective on governance, risk management, and internal controls across diverse banking environments.
In his current position at Access Bank, Jaiyeola is responsible for the adequacy and effectiveness of the bank’s conduct and compliance programme across Nigeria and the bank’s international subsidiaries in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.
Educationally, Jaiyeola holds a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting and a Master’s degree in Finance and Investment from the University of Edinburgh, Scotland.
He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and a Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA), and also serves in professional audit and forensic accounting capacities.
Industry analysts say his appointment comes at a time when banks are facing more complex regulatory expectations and digital risk exposures, and that his breadth of cross-border experience is well-suited to guide Access Bank’s risk and compliance agenda amid evolving market dynamics.
