LOTUS Bank board names Ajani-Lawal MD/CEO, as Araoye retires
Orisemeke Benjamin
The Board of LOTUS Bank, one of the leading non-interest banks, has announced a leadership transition in the bank with the appointment of Dr. Isiaka Ajani-Lawal as its Managing Director/CEO, effective from December 2025.
Ajani-Lawal’s appointment was sequel to the retirement of the bank’s founding Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Mrs. Kafilat Araoye, from office, thereby marking the conclusion of her distinguished tenure characterized by an impressive performance scorecard.
Appointed as the pioneer MD/CEO of Lotus Bank, Araoye played a key role in laying the foundation for LOTUS Bank’s successful market entry and operational growth. Under her leadership, the bank achieved key milestones that set the tone for its current leading position in Nigeria’s ethical banking space.
Specifically, some of the key accomplishments during her tenure are the launching of LOTUS Bank as a fully licensed non-interest bank in 2021; upgrading of the initial regional banking license to a national banking license in 2023; rolling out customer-focused, technology-driven financial services; building of a trusted brand known for transparency, integrity and CSR; promoting financial literacy and expanding access to ethical finance across Nigeria amongst others feats.
These initiatives translated into positive impact on Lotus Bank’s financial and other performance indices, including a surge in its balance sheet from N30bn in 2021 to N360bn in 2024, customer accounts from about 13,000 in 2021 to over 960,000 by June 2025, and expansion of its branch network to over 55 branches nationwide.
In her remarks, Chairperson of the Board of LOTUS Bank, Mrs. Hajara Adeola, commended the outgoing MD’s contributions to the remarkable milestones achieved in the bank during her tenure.
She enthused: “Mrs. Araoye’s leadership was marked by integrity, foresight, and impact. She shaped LOTUS Bank into a fast-growing, value-driven institution. As we welcome Dr. Isiaka Ajani-Lawal as MD/CEO, we are confident of his ability to uphold the Bank’s values while advancing its strategic vision.”
The newly appointed Managing Director brings more than 25 years of banking and financial services experience to his new role. Prior to this appointment, he served as Executive Director, Operations and Technology at LOTUS Bank, where he was instrumental in streamlining operations, implementing innovation-driven systems, and strengthening regulatory frameworks.
Ajani-Lawal, who holds a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) from the University of Liverpool and several other academic and professional qualifications, is a result-oriented expert, with deep expertise across diverse areas, including strategy formulation and execution, risk management, customer relationship management, credit administration, sales and marketing, and business development.
Speaking on his new appointment, the Managing Director said: “I am honoured to lead LOTUS Bank at this important moment in our journey. I remain committed to delivering on our mission to redefine banking through ethical, inclusive, and digitally focused services. I look forward to working with our dedicated team to build on the solid foundation laid by Mrs. Araoye and take LOTUS Bank to greater heights.”
