# Nonso Okpala

Nonso Okpala (born December 20, 1979) is a Nigerian investor and fintech entrepreneur. He is the Group Managing Director and founder of VFD Group PLC.
He serves as a Non-Executive Director at the Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX)and the Central Securities Clearing System Plc (CSCS)
He is also the co-founder of ARTSPLIT, a fintech company offering lease auctions and co-owning possibilities for African works of art.
| Name Nonso Okpala | In use: Nonso Okpala | Given: Nonso Okpala Michael Okpala |
| Born: December 20, 1979 (Age 45) | Birth Location: Uga, Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State (South-East Nigeria) | Nationality: Nigerian |
| Education: Primary: Lydia Primary School, Benin City, Edo State | Secondary: Merit Brothers Juniorate, Uturu, Okigwe, Abia State | Tertiary: University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu |
| Occupation Category:  Investor, Fintech, Innovator | Job: Group Managing Director, VFD Group Plc. | Additional: Founder, Chude and Ego Foundation |
| Years Active: 2004 – present | Known for: VFD Group Plc. | |

## Early Life and Childhood

Nonso Okpala was born in Uga,Aguata Anambra State, Nigeria. He grew up in a Catholic household with his father, Chude Okpala, a banker at First Bank of Nigeria, and his mother, Ego Okpala, an entrepreneur and educationist at Idia College, Benin City.
Okpala gained foundational knowledge of trade and business management by observing his mother manage side businesses. Her strategic approach to timing her entry and exit in these ventures inspired his passion for business and fueled his ambition for product design, marketing, and accounting.

## Education

Okpala attended Lydia Primary School in Benin City and Marist Brothers Juniorate in Abia State before earning a degree in Marketing from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. He then went on to KPMG where he became an Associate Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and Member, Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA).

## Career

In 2002, while in his third year of university, Nonso Okpala started his first business. After graduating in 2004 and completing the mandatory 12-month National Youth Service Corps, he closed the business to join KPMG Professional Services, an audit, tax, and advisory firm as an auditor. By 2008, he had advanced to a senior auditor role.
Shortly after, Nonso Okpala took on a corporate finance management role at BGL Plc before becoming the Director of Finance/Chief Financial Officer at Heirs Holdings Ltd. He then had a brief stint with the investment company’s subsidiary, United Bank for Africa in 2010. Working closely with Tony Elumelu, Okpala played a pivotal role in shaping the financial strategy and driving growth initiatives across the subsidiaries.

### Founding VFD Group PLC

In 2009, Nonso Okpala alongside 32 friends, set out a long-term plan to own a bank. With a 2.5 million Naira seed capital from gathered savings, Nonso Okpala founded VFD Group PLC as a vehicle to achieve this goal. That vehicle over the span of 15 years, has evolved into an ecosystem of companies with an asset base valued at N240 billion and investments in over 20 multi-sector companies. VFD Group operates across diverse sectors, with branches in Ghana and the United Kingdom. Its notable subsidiary and portfolio companies include VFD Microfinance Bank, Abbey Mortgage Bank and Anchoria Asset Management. Other subsidiaries include HEREL Global and VFD Ghana.
In 2016, Okpala took on the role of Group Managing Director at VFD Group Plc.

## Art and Tech

In 2022, Okpala co-founded ARTSPLIT, a platform facilitating shared ownership of non-traditional assets like art, music, and real estate with the aim to democratize access to these assets. With ARTSPLIT, Okpala aims to create a museum dedicated to African art, preserving its stories, and celebrating its heritage for future generations. His vision is to establish a museum that not only houses African art but also serves as a cultural hub .

## Philanthropy and Cultural Engagement

Nonso Okpala established the Chude and Ego Foundation (named in honour of his parents) to cater to education and access to quality healthcare. A flagship of the foundation's philanthropic efforts is the OSNON Academy, an initiative that provides free education to children in underserved communities. The foundation also supports hospitals, marginalized groups and young girls (with sanitary supplies). The Chude and Ego Foundation is located in Uga, Anambra State.

## Personal life

He is married to Okunwa Okpala, and they have three children together. He enjoys swimming and invigorating games of Lawn tennis when he is not spending time with his wife and children.