As Ms. Josephine Olok concludes her remarkable tenure as Chairperson of the Financial Technology Service Providers’ Association of Uganda (FITSPA), we reflect on a journey marked by profound impact, empowerment, and transformational leadership. Her approach to leadership has been characterized by an inspiring ability to motivate and unite people, foster collaboration, and drive mutual growth. Ms. Josephine’s vision went beyond an association—she envisioned building a thriving community, a lasting legacy, and a flourishing future for Uganda’s Fintech ecosystem.
“Good governance is the backbone of growth, and inclusivity is its heart,” Ms. Josephine articulated, a belief she personified throughout her term. She took significant strides to strengthen FITSPA’s governance, expanding and nurturing specialized committees supporting the association’s critical functions, including finance and administration, policy development, technology and innovation, membership engagement, partnerships, and women’s empowerment. Under her stewardship, FITSPA’s strategic vision has been sharpened, its operational capacity strengthened, and its position as a credible advocate in the Fintech industry firmly established.
A Catalyst for Growth
Ms. Josephine’s tenure has seen exceptional growth in membership. She has welcomed over 100 new organizations, elevating FITSPA’s total membership to 212, including 8 platinum members and industry leaders Equity Bank, BPC, Velox Corps, Pegasus Technologies, Wendi, KPMG, gnuGrid and BDO East Africa. She has also steered FITSPA to build rails with other local and international Fintech and non-Fintech communities, opening doors for growth and collaboration for the sector.
Nurtured Compliance
Remarkably, Ms. Josephine Olok leaves FITSPA in an incredibly robust position as a leading advocate for favorable Fintech policies and regulations. She has successfully reinforced FITSPA’s relationships with eight key industry regulators, including the Bank of Uganda (BOU), Uganda Microfinance Regulatory Authority (UMRA), Financial Intelligence Authority (FIA), Capital Markets Authority (CMA), Uganda Communications Commission (UCC), National Information Technology Authority Uganda (NITA-U), and the Personal Data Protection Office (PDPO). Her work has secured FITSPA’s presence at the policy table. As the ecosystem steward, Josephine has steered the payments and digital lending ecosystems through complex regulatory and policy evolutions. She leaves the sectors well-poised to flourish and deliver crucial financial solutions that drive financial inclusion in the country.
Empowering Women
Ms. Josephine has inspired the remarkable success behind the FITSPA Women Initiative, which has since grown into a thriving community of over 480 women. The program has evolved into a catalyst for collective growth and elevation of women in Fintech and is moving the needle in bridging the gender divide in Uganda’s Fintech Sector.
“Thank you FITSPA Women for the initiatives. You gave me a good mentor, Ms. @Josephine Olok who has transformed my career for the best. Thank you so much. It’s good to see queens fixing other queens’ crowns. I am now a powerful and resilient HR who knows her worth and brand. May God bless you, FITSPA Women team.” – Fatumah Namukasa – Okane Financial Solutions
“Let me flashlight, spotlight…any kind of light…on my mentor under this program! Ms Josephine Olok thank you for your time, kindness, humility, and of course your great insights and nuggets!” – Evelyn Osiime – Mayfair Insurance, Uganda
Building for Scale
Among the plethora of impressive achievements, Ms. Josephine leaves behind a groundbreaking initiative poised to revolutionize access to funding within Uganda’s fintech industry: the FITSPA Fintech Fund. Currently in its setup stages, this fund will provide FITSPA members with the short-term capital and liquidity needed to scale innovative Fintech solutions nationwide.
A Leader Who Inspired Collaborative Growth
Ms. Josephine Olok’s legacy revolved around inspiring others to embrace collaboration and build community. She truly has left an indelible mark on Uganda’s Fintech sector. As she prepares to embark on the next chapter of her life, the foundation of collective progress and empowerment she has established will undoubtedly continue to inspire future leaders.
“We rise by lifting others,” Josephine often reminds us. Through her unwavering dedication, she has uplifted not just FITSPA but the entire Fintech ecosystem.
Thank you, Ms. Josephine, for your visionary, extraordinary leadership. Your impact will resonate for years to come. We celebrate you.
Commendations from the Board
“Ms. Josephine, your stewardship has been nothing short of transformative. Under your guidance, FITSPA has not only grown in stature but has also become a beacon of innovation, collaboration, and excellence within the fintech industry. Your ability to inspire, unite, and empower those around you has set a new standard for leadership and has left an indelible mark on this organization.
Personally, I am grateful for the privilege of serving as your Vice-Chair during this term. It has been an honor to represent you at various functions and events, with the African Fintech Summit in Kenya standing out as a particular highlight. Your trust and support during these moments have been invaluable, and they reflect the collaborative spirit and confidence that you bring to this Board.” – Mr. Henry Kevin Wavah, FITSPA Board Vice Chairperson.
“Josephine, As your time as the Chair of the FITSPA Board draws to a close, I wanted to express my sincere gratitude for your service and leadership. Chairing a Board is a tough volunteer role, and you took on your duties with dedication, grace, and seriousness. More than your ability to be highly organized, you have been very supportive of me and all the work we have been doing on the AFI Committee. I am very grateful for your active leadership as a judicious steward of our Board. I will certainly miss working with you as a board member, but I look forward to staying in touch with each other for years to come.” – Mr. Benoni Okwenje
“Josephine, it has been an extraordinary honor to work under your leadership. You have taught me how to fight like a diplomat, focus on what truly matters, and always hold myself accountable.
Your attention to detail, openness, saying no to a no-deal, and unstoppable drive have inspired me to keep learning, growing, and leading purposefully.
Thank you for the lessons, the wisdom, and the opportunity to build something remarkable together.” – Zianah Muddu- FITSPA Team Lead
About Ms. Josephine Olok
Ms. Josephine has over 25 years in IT and has worked as a consultant and in IT Leadership positions in the Oil and Gas, Banking, Technology, Postal, Telecommunications and NGO sectors. She is the Director and Co-founder of LumJo Consultants Ltd a company established to address the gap in fit for purpose, affordable, locally available, locally developed and locally supported software in Uganda.
Ms. Josephine has delivered and implemented IT business strategy and digital transformation projects in several organisations including Tullow Oil (Kenya, Uganda), Barclays Bank, Equity Bank, Posta Uganda, Africa Online, United Nations World Food Programme (Sarajevo, Kampala), Bank of Uganda and ICL Uganda.
She is focused on applying her experience to non-executive board roles and to mentoring young women to empower them to take on technology. She has served as the Board Chairperson of FITSPA (Financial Technology Service Providers Association of Uganda) for 2 years, a board member of United Bank for Africa and a member of the Board and Risk Committee of New Vision Group. She also served on the board of the Uganda Manufactures Association.
