About me
Waliyah Abiola
Consultant - Banking Analyst - Speaker - Panel Mediator
Waliyah Abiola is a consultant, banking analyst, speaker and panel mediator with over 15 years of experience across financial services, consulting, technology and business transformation. She holds a Master’s degree in Chemical Engineering from Imperial College London and began her career applying her quantitative training within financial markets at leading global institutions including JPMorgan, Calyon and Barclays Capital.
Waliyah has held a variety of analysis, advisory, consulting and managerial roles across financial markets and business transformation. Her banking background includes FICC markets, credit derivatives, rates, structured products sales, portfolio analytics and prime brokerage. Her early career focused on derivatives and portfolio analytics, supporting institutional clients in aligning future asset and liability streams while seeking alpha generation within defined risk appetite and optimised risk-return profiles.
She has also built a separate track record in strategy and management consulting. Her consulting work spans business transformation, digitalisation, data, analytics, technology innovation, operational execution and value creation. She has worked with large corporates, start-ups, public sector stakeholders and private sector leaders across the UK and Africa.
Financial Markets and Advisory Expertise
Waliyah has developed broad knowledge across financial markets and investment banking advisory, with a particular focus on private equity and private credit firms. She also has a growing interest in TMT (Technology, Media and Telecoms), retail and consumer goods, supported by self-driven practice in equity research and corporate finance.
As a chemical engineer by training, Waliyah strengthened her financial expertise through disciplined self-study and practical exposure. During her early banking career, she spent late evenings on the trading floor at JPMorgan and weekends deepening her understanding of financial principles, overlaying them with the quantitative skills developed during her engineering studies at Imperial College London.
This blend of engineering discipline, financial markets experience and corporate finance knowledge continues to shape her analytical approach to business, investment, strategy and execution.
Financial Regulation, Technology and Digital Transformation
Waliyah has worked in financial regulation as a subject matter expert across SEC, CFTC, FCA, ECB, ESMA, HKMA, JFSA and Basel regimes in London and Hong Kong. Her work has given her strong knowledge of markets, financial intermediaries, prime brokerage securities services and regulatory frameworks across major financial centres.
Over time, her collaboration with quants, developers and transformation teams deepened her exposure to technology, AI and digital operating models. She has worked at the intersection of financial markets, data, analytics and technology innovation, helping to connect technical delivery with business objectives.
In 2026, Waliyah drove and championed AI and digitalisation work at a leading universal bank, contributing to transformation activity focused on improved operating models, stronger business processes and the practical adoption of emerging technologies.
Business Transformation and Cross-Sector Consulting
Waliyah specialises in business transformation with an emphasis on digitalisation, value creation and measurable organisational performance. Her work is grounded in a data-driven approach to quantifying and improving business KPIs, Objectives and Key Results and value-stream performance in order to support profitability, shareholder value and stakeholder outcomes.
She has consulted for Nigerian federal ministries, state governments, international technology start-ups and private sector companies in the UK and Africa, cutting across industries such as technology, consumer applications, FMCG, real estate, tourism and entertainment.
Since 2022, she has also advised start-ups on financial modelling, product-market fit, customer segmentation, business models and profit generation. Regardless of the industry, Waliyah’s advisory and execution approach clarifies organisational objectives, defines key performance indicators, improves execution and strengthens organisational performance.
Adviser to Leaders and Institutions
In 2026, Waliyah’s advisory work includes supporting African leaders, federal and state government stakeholders, ministries, parastatals and private sector C-suite executives on strategy and execution. Her work brings together commercial insight, financial services experience, transformation knowledge and an understanding of African market opportunities.
Across her advisory work, she maintains a continued focus on alpha generation, value creation, transformation and Africa-focused development outcomes. Her approach is practical and outcomes-led, with an emphasis on helping leaders move from strategic intent to effective implementation.
Seasoned Speaker with Notable Engagements
Waliyah is an experienced speaker and panel mediator, recognised for her ability to communicate business, finance, technology and development themes with clarity and relevance. She has spoken on strategy and execution, financial markets, digital transformation, AI adoption, business growth and Africa’s long-term development opportunity.
She has been a speaker at the StartUp2021 Conference alongside the UK Minister for Small Business, founders of leading start-ups and executives from companies including Dell Technologies, Sage Accounting and PensionBee. She has also spoken on the role of finance and economics in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals at the African Achievers Awards at the UK Houses of Parliament.
Waliyah has delivered a keynote at the WinTrade Global Women’s Leadership Conference at the House of Lords, serving as an ambassador for the organisation. She has also participated in panels at the Palace of Westminster focused on African economic development and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Her public profile includes recognition for positive impact and transformational speaking, including her work as a mentor to young students through UN-affiliated organisations in the UK. She is a recipient of the UPF Award for Positive Impact and has been nominated for the London Lord Mayor’s Freedom of the City Award.
Arcadia TV Africa Day: Building Beyond Borders
In 2026, Waliyah contributed to Arcadia TV’s Africa Day event in Lagos as a speaker on the session “Building Beyond Borders”.
The session focused on how African SMEs and start-ups can scale beyond their immediate local markets by navigating the continent’s unique commercial, regulatory and cultural terrain. The discussion explored how African businesses can use regional opportunities such as AfCFTA to unlock wider trade, market access and growth, while also recognising the practical road to implementation.
Key themes included infrastructure gaps, policy coordination, smoother cross-border trade processes and improved access to finance. The session also drew on lessons from SME and start-up success stories in other countries, highlighting how stronger innovation ecosystems are supported by domestic capital, financial literacy, digital infrastructure, angel networks, public-private collaboration and clearer exit pathways.
A central theme was that African businesses should not simply copy foreign models. Instead, they should use local market knowledge, consumer behaviour, informal distribution networks, cultural insight and regional partnerships as strategic advantages. By understanding local nuances and building scalable systems around them, African start-ups and SMEs can improve profitability, expand across borders and become more competitive.
Advisory Board Member for the First Ladies of Africa Summit
In 2026, Waliyah became an Advisory Board Member for the First Ladies of Africa Summit. This role aligns with her wider work across leadership, enterprise development, women’s empowerment, public sector engagement and Africa-focused transformation.
Her involvement reflects her commitment to supporting platforms that bring together leadership, policy, development and practical action, with a focus on improved opportunity, economic participation and positive outcomes across the continent.
Accomplished TV Personality and Creative Professional
Beyond her work in finance, consulting and public speaking, Waliyah has a strong background in media, the performing arts and creative communication. She is an experienced TV presenter and producer, with hundreds of hours of presenting experience.
She is also a YouTuber, travel vlogger, blogger, writer, recording artist and singer-songwriter. This creative background has strengthened her writing, speaking and audience engagement skills, supporting her ability to connect with diverse audiences across business, policy, media and culture.
Passionate About Africa, Enterprise and Positive Representation
Waliyah is passionate about projecting Africa positively to the world, supporting economic development and helping to bridge the gap between the Western world and Africa. Although British-born, she comes from a prominent African business family with a legacy of democracy, philanthropy, enterprise and positive impact.
Her career reflects a blend of analytical rigour, commercial depth, communication skill and purpose-driven leadership. Across financial services, consulting, media, public speaking and creative work, Waliyah remains focused on value creation, transformation and Africa-focused development outcomes.
Her work continues to centre on helping leaders, institutions and businesses clarify priorities, execute effectively and build systems that support long-term growth, competitiveness and meaningful impact.