AfriPulse
Olayemi Michael “ Yemi Cardoso ” (born July 10, 1957) is a Nigerian banker and the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria ( CBN ). He has previously worked as the Lagos State Government’s Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget.
Cardoso’s private sector experience included banking, stockbroking, consultancy, and serving as Chair of the Board of Citibank Nigeria. He was also a member of the Cities Alliance’s Africa Think Tank Group, a board member of MRS Oil, Chairman of the Board of EFInA, a member of the Lagos Business School Advisory Board, and Chairman of the African Venture Philanthropy Alliance.
On September 15, 2023, Bola Tinubu appointed Cardoso as governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria for a five-year term, pending confirmation by the Nigerian Senate. Cardoso was formally confirmed as Nigeria’s Central Bank Governor on September 23, 2023.
Photo Credit: @DrYemiCardoso, X
Olayemi ‘Yemi’ Cardoso, a businessman and entrepreneur from Lagos, Nigeria, was born on July 10, 1957. His father, Felix Cardoso, and mother, Mrs Cardoso, raised him alongside siblings whose names have yet to be revealed.
Cardoso comes from a lineage of Brazilian returnees from important families in Popo Aguda, where his brothers and sisters succeed in a variety of disciplines.
Olayemi Cardoso attended Corona School, Ikoyi, and St. Gregory’s College, Lagos. He then attended Aston University in the United Kingdom, where he earned a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) in Managerial and Administrative Studies in 1980. He also earned a Master’s degree in Public Administration at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government (HKS), graduating in 2005 as a recipient of the prestigious Michael Romer Memorial Scholarship.
Career
Before joining Citibank, Cardoso worked briefly for Howard Tilly & Co., Chartered Accountants, in London. Cardoso completed the Citibank credit training programme in Athens, Greece, and was thereafter sent to Citibank in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, in 1982.
He worked in the West Africa Regional Office/Non-Present Country desk, which covered several nations in the sub-region where Citibank had sovereign debt exposure but no physical presence. Cardoso returned to Nigeria in 1982 and joined Chase Merchant Bank, a Chase Manhattan branch. He was a member of the bank’s credit and marketing staff, specialising in trading, construction, and oil and gas ties.
In 1984, he rejoined Citibank as a founding member of Nigeria International Bank Limited, where he served as Head of the World Corporation Group, in charge of managing Citibank’s key global partnerships. He also joined the bank’s credit committee, which is in charge of reviewing and approving loan limits. In 1988, Cardoso was responsible for opening Citibank’s first branch outside of Lagos, in Kano, Nigeria.
From Kano, he oversaw the bank’s operations throughout northern Nigeria. Cardoso was subsequently appointed Vice President. In 1990, Olayemi and several Citibank colleagues formed Citizens Bank, Nigeria, where he served as Head of Corporate Banking and Head of Treasury and Financial Institutions in succession. Additionally, he was the Executive Director of the bank for eight years.
Cardoso was appointed a Commissioner in Lagos State following Nigeria’s transition to democracy in 1999. He established and headed the Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget, which served as the administration’s think tank. Cardoso served as the chairman of Citibank’s audit committee in 2007. He retained this post until 2010, when he was appointed a board member and then Chairman of the Board.
As Chairman, Cardoso was a staunch supporter of diversity and gender equality. Cardoso launched the Africa Institute for Leadership and Public Administration (AILPA), which aimed to promote private-public cooperation. He is a member of the Nigerian National Advisory Board for Impact Investing and the Lagos Business School’s advisory board.
Cardoso also serves on the Board of Trustees for the DRASA Health Trust, a public organisation named after the late Dr Ameyo Adadevoh.
Yemi Cardoso wife
At 68 years old, Olayemi ‘Yemi’ Cardoso finds delight in his marriage to Abimbola Chima Cardoso, with whom he has five children. Their family grows even larger with the addition of three cherished grandchildren, magnifying the love and happiness in their home.
Though the identities of their children are kept confidential, Cardoso’s family surely provides him with an endless source of joy and contentment.
Yemi Cardoso Net Worth
Olayemi ‘Yemi’ Cardoso, a renowned Nigerian banker, has an estimated net worth of $10 million (uncertain). With a strong background in finance and economics, he rose to the esteemed position of governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, a position of great respect in the country’s financial sector.
Cardoso has made an unmistakable impact on the Nigerian banking environment, employing his leadership skills and expertise to cement his status as a recognised and prominent player in the sector.
Social Media
X: @DrYemiCardoso
Source: Gistreel | Read the Full Story…
