Dr. Dele Alabi is a distinguished banking executive, chartered finance professional, and visionary leader with over three decades of experience spanning audit and consultancy, corporate finance, enterprise risk management, treasury, finance, control, and strategic leadership across Africa’s financial services landscape.
Dr. Alabi was born on the 15th of May 1967 in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria. His pursuit of academic excellence led him to have his secondary school education at Anglican Grammar School, Otan Ayegbaju, Osun State, Nigeria, where he wrote his West African School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and passed with flying colors in 1982, when he was 15 years old. He attended the Oyo State College of Arts and Science, Ile-Ife, for an A-level program and passed the University entrance examination in 1983 after the first year. He gained admission into the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) in 1983 and graduated with a First Class Honours in Accounting in 1987.
Dr. Alabi began his professional career working for 5 years at Arthur Andersen & Co. (now KPMG), where he distinguished himself, leading audit and consulting engagements for companies in diversified sectors of the economy. From the world of audit and consulting, he stepped boldly into banking, joining Ecobank Nigeria in 1993. Over the years, he has led teams in various management functions: Treasury and Financial Institutions, Strategy and Business Development, Corporate Banking, Finance, Control, and Risk. Like a master craftsman, he shaped every portfolio he touched. He rose steadily to a senior management position within the affiliate before his transfer to the Group in January 2007.
Between 2007 and 2008, he was a member of the elite team involved in growing the Ecobank franchise across East and Southern Africa; a bold march into new frontiers. That season of audacious growth prepared the foundation for his latter role as a pan-African banking champion, carrying the Ecobank franchise to countries where opportunities emerged and markets beckoned. As the pioneer Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Ecobank, Uganda, he won an award from the Bank of Uganda for the tremendous growth recorded by the bank within a short period.
As Executive Director for Finance and Risk at Ecobank Nigeria, he strengthened governance frameworks, enhanced regulatory compliance, and positioned the bank for resilience in turbulent times, implementing Basel II/III compliance frameworks and reducing non-performing loan ratios through enhanced credit risk controls and capital optimisation strategies.
Dr. Alabi is currently the Managing Director/CEO of ETI Specialized Resolution Company (ESRC), a fully owned subsidiary of Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI)
Beyond executive management, he has made significant contributions at the board level, serving as Chairman of CRC Credit Bureau Nigeria Ltd, Chairman of the Board Audit Committee of FSDH Merchant Bank, and non-Executive Director at Ecobank Burundi.
Dr. Alabi holds a PhD in Finance from Babcock University, where he graduated as the Best Doctoral candidate in the University with an outstanding CGPA of 4.92 out of 5.0, and an MBA (Specialized in Finance) from the University of Lagos. His intellectual capacity was further enriched through executive education at world-renowned institutions, including Harvard Business School and Wharton Executive Education.
He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (FCIB), a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (FCA), and a Fellow of The Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (FCS), where he emerged with the Best Overall Performance (1st Prize) in the 1998 examinations.
Renowned for his strategic insight, governance expertise, and commitment to excellence, Dr. Alabi continues to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of banking and financial services across Nigeria and the African continent.
At the Chartered Institute of Bankers, Dr. Alabi is a towering figure, one who can be described as the proverbial “good and faithful servant” who has distinguished himself in his service to the Institute. He has served meritoriously in several capacities, including:
Dr. Alabi provides leadership in the wider banking industry as the President of the West African Bankers’ Association (WABA) at the country and sub-regional levels.
He is happily married to Mrs. Folasade Alabi, and they are blessed with children.
