Advisory Council
The Advisory Council is comprised of stellar members with shared purpose and proven track record in the advancement of innovative regulation across Africa. Together, they guide the ongoing development and direction of the RegTech Africa Conference, maintaining the highest standards and ensuring its long-term sustainability.
Chuma Qwalela
Executive Director, United Way, South Africa.
Chuma Qwalela
Executive Director, United Way, South Africa.
Chuma Qwalela is an Executive Director and Board Member with over (20) years’ experience leading truly impactful programs within public, private and non-profit sectors. She has held various senior and advisory positions across these sectors, from strategy consulting to execution of complex, large scale organizational turnarounds. She is currently an Executive Director at United Way South Africa, with a focus on Education, Financial Stability and Health impact programs. She further serves as a Non-Executive Director on a number of boards and committees within financial services.
In her career, Chuma has led the implementation of the Prudential Authority program at the South African Reserve Bank as part of the Twin Peaks model of financial regulation, aimed at financial stability and inclusion. She later got involved with the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) as Head of Strategy and Change, responsible for formulating and delivering on a new multi-asset class clearing and settlement platform in South Africa.
Chuma holds a BCom (Honours) in Economics and Management from University of Kwa-Zulu Natal, and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the Gordon Institute of Business Science. She has completed a General Management Program with the Harvard Business School in Boston, USA. Her life mantra is 5 Million Freed - to be achieved through a 30% reduction in poverty. Her passion and current focus is on developing innovative solutions to address financial inclusion for women entrepreneurs in Africa.
Arnold Karanja
Data Protection & Privacy Laws Compliance Practitioner
Arnold Karanja
Data Protection & Privacy Laws Compliance Practitioner
Arnold is a Lawyer plying his trade in Kenya. He specializes in Data Protection Compliance, Digital Mergers & Acquisitions, AML, Betting & Gaming Regulation. He is a freelance columnist with the Business Daily Africa where he writes regularly on matters ICT Policy and Tech laws. He has also been a guest publisher with Regtech Africa (Spring Edition, 2021). He represents and advises Global Systemic Important Financial Institutions (G-SIFIs) emerging tech regulations and standards.
He attained his LLM, International Commercial Law, from the University of Salford, Manchester. Arnold has been certified by the International Board for IT Governance Qualifications (IBITGQ) on the EU-GDPR.
Osioke Ojior
Co-Founder & Chief Risk Officer, Cybersecurity RegTech Ops, Covenda LTD (UK)
Osioke Ojior
Co-Founder & Chief Risk Officer, Cybersecurity RegTech Ops, Covenda LTD (UK)
Osioke has over 15 years of achievements in advancing performance and innovation aspirations for organizations. His 3-continent career includes years of management consulting focused on technology innovation for economic development, with transferable skills in strategy, risk and compliance, and operations management across biotech, fintech, healthcare, logistics, retail, and telecom.
He served as a cybersecurity leader at an American federal healthcare agency and national security company; was a technology executive at a major US consulting company; before senior posts at the top pan-African fintech business and the national payments system for Africa's largest economy.
Osioke has an MBA (US), a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Communication (US), and executive management education from Yale School of Management (US), Cass Business School (UK), and Lagos Business School (NG).
Portia Ndlovu
Securities And Exchange Commission of Zimbabwe (Licensing and Enforcement) Attorney General Office of Zimbabwe (Law officer - Legislative Drafting)
Portia Ndlovu
Securities And Exchange Commission of Zimbabwe (Licensing and Enforcement) Attorney General Office of Zimbabwe (Law officer - Legislative Drafting)
Portia Ndlovu joined the Securities Exchange Commission of Zimbabwe in 2021 to assume the post of Licensing and Enforcement Officer. Her responsibilities include processing applications by securities
dealers, investment managers, securities and exchanges, investment advisers, trustees, custodians, and
collective schemes. In addition, she initiates legislative reforms and is responsible for the enforcement of
securities laws. Before joining the Commission, Portia worked at the Attorney General Office of Zimbabwe, department of Legislative Drafting where she drafted legislation and gave legislative advice to
Ministries and government departments. She loves reading, for professional and relaxation purposes.
Portia also has a growing interest in farming.
Nolwazi Hlophe
Deputy Director Financial Regulation and Supervision at Digital Frontiers
Nolwazi Hlophe
Deputy Director Financial Regulation and Supervision at Digital Frontiers
Nolwazi Hlophe is the Deputy Director Financial Regulation and Supervision at Digital Frontiers. She previously worked for Cenfri and the Central Bank of Eswatini. During her time in the Central Bank of Eswatini, Nolwazi managed the FinTech Unit, and worked towards drafting and finalizing the CBE FinTech Regulatory Sandbox Guidelines. Nolwazi has significant financial regulation and supervision experience through working with the Reserve Bank of Malawi, Bank of Zambia and many others.
Within Digital Frontiers, Nolwazi Hlophe is the Program Manager of the Digital Financial Inclusion Supervision (DFIS) Program, which was developed in collaboration with Toronto Centre and CGAP. She is also the Financial Regulation Lead for the Certified Digital Finance Practioner (CDFP) for the Anti-Money Laundering Compliance, Digital Identity, Regulation in Digital Financial Services and Regulating and Governing IIP Systems course in our Instant and Inclusive Payments (IIPS) Program.
I have convened Digital Frontiers Institute’s first ever Digital Identity Week in 2020 and CBDC Workshop | Emerging Markets and Developing Economies in 2021, along with being a guest speaker in various sessions of Digital Frontiers Institute’s Podcast and Webinar series.
I am passionate about capacity building, innovation, financial regulation and supervision. They all tie together towards serving the consumer.
Kojo Dougan
Vice President, Digital Finance Practitioners Ghana.
Kojo Dougan
Vice President, Digital Finance Practitioners Ghana.
Kojo Dougan is an experienced Business Operations & Strategy Executive with a passion for skills
development, mentoring and a demonstrated history of working in the information technology and
services industry.
He is a Certified Solutions Provider with 20 years’ experience in developing iterations and strategizing
technology solutions for the private sector and is recognized for leadership strategies, building
relationships and planning useful digital finance solutions for financial inclusion providers and dedicated
to efficiency, entrepreneurship and long-term results.
Kojo has been Advisor to a number of fintechs and startups with the responsibility of ensuring best
practice approach and developing frictionless user experience modules in digital channels.
In 2019, he coached 2 startups to win first and second place in the Ghana Innovation Hub Innovate
Ghana competition. In 2020 he coached Oniocha to win and represent Ghana at the MEST Africa
Challenge.
In 2020, Kojo was Consultant to Pezesha Africa, a Kenya based fintech that was among the 2 finalists
selected for the SME Blended Lending and SME Crowdfunding Pilot project of the UNCDF GrEEn
program.
At BSS, he was Project Lead in the implementation of HR Access & Attendance Systems for organisations
including: AngloGold Continental Africa Region that covers Obuasi, Iduapriem, Bibiani, Guinea (Conakry
and Siguiri) and Sadiola in Mali and several UN Offices and agencies in Ghana and Togo
Among other achievements, the significant MoUs and collaborative agreements between Ghana
Standards Board of Ghana and South Africa Board of Standards and the Sod cutting and commissioning
of KPONE Independent Power Generating Plant (first licensed, first Greenfield, largest IPP in Ghana, first
thermal project financed in sub Saharan Africa) were initiated and achieved during his tenure as
President of Ghana South Africa Business Chamber.
At Interpay he led the team to build its client base from 2 to 120 merchants and led the drive to become
a pioneering GHIPSS partner for GHLINK online payments.
He was also Project Lead in the scoping, product development and Partnerships development of the
Ghana NHIA digital renewal project that made it possible for 11 million persons to renew their National health policies via mobile money. The project was launched on schedule and on budget for pilot in
February 2018 and public launch in December 2018.
As a member of GARIA, (Ghana Association of Restructuring & Insolvency Advisors) Kojo played key roles
in turning around the Ghana South Africa Chamber (GSABC) into profitably within 3 years (2016-2019)
and positioning Interpay, a Ghanaian fintech for acquisition by a US firm in 2018.
Kojo is an AYA Institute Trainer of Trainers, providing capacity, skills and knowledge development to
bank workers in the area of Digital Banking and Innovations.
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