Dr. Mrs Markie Idowu has made history as the first female President and Chairman of the Governing Council of the National Institute of Credit Administration (NICA), chartered, Nigeria’s frontline statutory body of eminent credit management professionals and credit industry stakeholders.
Dr. (Mrs) Idowu, an eminent Fellow of the Institute, previously served as Vice-President/Vice-Chairman of NICA for two terms.
She is currently leading eight other distinguished members of the Governing Council, namely: Professor Chris Onalo, FICA, Registrar/CEO of the Institute, Engr. Prof. Amieyeofori Valentine Felix, FICA, Vice-President/Vice-Chairman of the institute, Dr. Thomas Imokhai, FICA, Mrs. Eunice Oghomwen Sampson, FICA, Dr. Mrs. Wosilat Adebayo, FICA, Engr. Owoyemi Alaba, FICA, Alhaji Sada Ladan-Baki.
Dr. (Mrs.) Markie Idowu is a highly respected banking, technology, and credit management professional with over 36 years of experience across banking, fintech, and corporate governance. She has held senior executive roles at CMB, GTBank, Fidelity Bank, and Polaris Bank, where she drove growth in IT, operations, retail, commercial, and corporate banking.
As Executive Director at Polaris Bank, Dr. Idowu led the expansion of the bank’s retail business, introduced innovative products and marketing strategies, and executed a landmark IT transformation that earned international recognition. She also played a key role in major oil and gas financing syndications and previously served as Group Managing Director of Xpress Payment Solutions Limited, a leading Nigerian fintech company.
She currently sits as an independent director on the boards of Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria, Nigerian Mortgage Refinance Company, and NSIA Insurance Limited, and has served on several other notable corporate boards.
Dr. (Mrs.) Idowu holds a First Class degree in Computer Science, an MSc in Software Engineering (Distinction), an MBA, and a PhD in Credit Management, alongside executive education from leading global institutions. She is a Fellow of the National Institute of Credit Administration (NICA), chartered.
An acclaimed industry leader, she has received multiple local and international awards, including Best Female Leader in Digital & Technology (2025), and remains actively involved in mentoring, economic empowerment, and capacity building.
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