UNIZIK Appoints Veteran Financier, Nicky Okoye As A Senior Visiting Lecturer

In a significant move underscoring Nigeria’s ambition to become a leader in the digital asset economy, Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK) has appointed Nicholas “Nicky” Okoye as a visiting senior lecturer, effective immediately. The appointment is set to bolster the institution’s capital markets and virtual assets curriculum, addressing a critical skills gap in Africa’s rapidly evolving financial landscape.

The decision positions UNIZIK, home to one of the continent’s few dedicated Capital Markets faculties, at the forefront of financial education as global markets pivot towards cryptocurrencies, stablecoins, Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs), and the tokenisation of real-world assets. The university is leveraging Okoye’s deep industry expertise to bridge the divide between traditional finance and the burgeoning digital asset ecosystem.

“Securing someone of Nicky Okoye’s calibre is a game-changer,” a university official stated. “As global finance evolves, we must equip enterprise executives, entrepreneurs, and policymakers with the technical knowledge required to build long-term capital formation strategies. His real-world experience is invaluable.”
Okoye, a globally experienced investment advisor and serial entrepreneur, brings a career spanning top-tier global and Nigerian financial institutions to the classroom.

His track record includes roles as a Financial Consultant at Merrill Lynch in the U.S., Chief Strategy Officer at the Nigerian Stock Exchange Group, and founding Group Executive Director of Operations & Strategy at Transcorp Group Plc, where he led fundraising efforts that collectively exceeded $1 billion.
Currently, Okoye leads the Global Investment Advisory Community (GIAC), a coalition of foreign and local banks, asset managers, and fintechs aimed at building a digital asset market ecosystem for Africa and the Caribbean.

He has also contributed to national policy, advising the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on capital markets regulatory frameworks
The private sector has expressed enthusiasm for the appointment, anticipating that Okoye’s programs will deliver critical capacity building for the investing public.

About the Appointee

Nicholas Okoye holds a Doctorate in Business Administration (Honoris Causa) from the Enugu State University of Technology, honoured for outstanding contribution to enterprise excellence and development in March 2015. Beyond his corporate and academic roles, he has served on the Presidential Jobs Board and the National Council of Small and Medium Scale Enterprises, providing strategic counsel on economic development. Okoye advised the Nigeria Content Development and Monitoring Board on PROJECT Triple E from 2014 to 2018, which was a strategic initiative to build and integrate oil-producing community-based contractors into the upstream oil and gas industry value chain.

Federal Government of Nigeria’s positive steps

It is pertinent to note that the Federal Government of Nigeria only recently established a national Virtual Assets Council to oversee the coordinated oversight and regulation of virtual and digital assets in Nigeria. The leadership of the council is with the Central Bank of Nigeria, with the active support of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Nigeria Revenue Service.