Kafilat holds a first degree in History from the University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University (1985), and an M.Sc. in Industrial Relations & Personnel Management from the University of Lagos (1987), graduating as the best student in her class. She also holds Islamic Finance certifications issued by Ethica Institute of Islamic Finance, the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment/Bahrain Institute of Banking & Finance, as well as the Islamic Research & Training Institute. She has attended various executive management courses at the Cranfield School of Management (UK), Lagos Business School, Institute of Management Development (Switzerland) and INSEAD (France).Ross business School, University of Michigan(USA).She is certified in specialized Banking courses ,conferences and Seminars, among them are the Structured Trade Finance Course by Euromoney U.K, Payment, Clearing and Settlement Conference by National Association of Clearing Houses, USA2006, 2007, 2008, International Banker’s Seminar, USA, South Africa, Swift regional conference.
She started her career in 1988 at National Oil and Chemicals Marketing Company Plc (now Conoil Nigeria Plc), and moved in 1990 to Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, as the pioneer head of Human Resources .She was part of the GTBank team that went to Jordan for the implementation of its core banking application amongst other critical assignments executed for the Bank. She left with accolades in 2015 as General Manager but continued to consult for banks and other sectors through her consulting outfit until 2018 when she was appointed as the MD Designate for LOTUS Bank (then in formation).
Having put 30 years into banking, Kafilat has expertise in virtually all areas of core banking, with emphasis on International and Domestic Operations, Payments, General Management, Business Development, Risk Management, Human Resources and Strategy.
She was part of several Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Implementation Committees on some Settlement and Payment solutions between 2002 and 2007 and represented Nigeria at the Banking Techniques and Practice committee of International Chamber of Commerce, between 2006 and 2011.She was member Chartered Institute of Banker’s Committee on Capacity building and Certification from 2014 to 2020 and is currently member, Advocacy & Strategy Committee of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria.
Kafilat has served, and currently serves as Member of the Governing Board of many institutions (secondary and university), amongst them Fountain University Oshogbo, Currently member, Board of Crescent Schools, Victoria Island and City of Knowledge Academy, as well as Elder’s Council, Al Muhtudeen Islamic Foundation (formerly Muslim Youth Forum).