UNIZIK Appoints Renowned Financier Nicky Okoye To Strengthen Digital Assets and Capital Markets Curriculum

Nnamdi Azikiwe University, UNIZIK, has appointed Nicholas “Nicky” Okoye as a visiting senior lecturer, effective immediately, as part of efforts to expand its focus on digital assets and capital markets education.

The appointment positions UNIZIK, which houses one of the few dedicated Capital Markets faculties on the continent, to address growing demand for skills in cryptocurrencies, stablecoins, Central Bank Digital Currencies, CBDCs, and the tokenisation of real-world assets.

A university official said the move is aimed at equipping students, entrepreneurs, and policymakers with the technical knowledge needed for long-term capital formation strategies.

“Securing someone of Nicky Okoye’s calibre is a game-changer. 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,” the official stated.

Okoye is an investment advisor and entrepreneur with experience across global and Nigerian financial institutions.

His previous roles include 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 exceeded $1 billion.

He currently leads the Global Investment Advisory Community, GIAC, a coalition of foreign and local banks, asset managers, and fintechs working to build a digital asset market ecosystem for Africa and the Caribbean.

Okoye has also contributed to national policy discussions, having advised the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC, on capital markets regulatory frameworks.

He holds a Doctorate in Business Administration Honoris Causa from the Enugu State University of Technology, awarded in March 2015 for contributions to enterprise development.

Beyond corporate roles, he has served on the Presidential Jobs Board and the National Council of Small and Medium Scale Enterprises.

Between 2014 and 2018, he also advised the Nigeria Content Development and Monitoring Board on PROJECT Triple E, an initiative to integrate oil-producing community-based contractors into the upstream oil and gas industry value chain.

The private sector has welcomed the appointment, noting that Okoye’s programs are expected to support capacity building for the investing public.

The appointment also aligns with recent federal government steps on digital assets.

The Federal Government of Nigeria recently established a national Virtual Assets Council to oversee the coordinated regulation of virtual and digital assets in Nigeria.

Leadership of the council is domiciled with the Central Bank of Nigeria, with support from the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Nigeria Revenue Service.