UPDATED ABRIDGED PROFILE OF PROFESSOR CHRIS ONALO, FICA

ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE AND EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP

A scholar of distinction, Professor Onalo has pursued extensive academic and professional studies in credit management and credit administration. His qualifications include:

• Associate Member, Institute of Credit Management, UK,

• Postgraduate Diploma in Credit Management, London Postgraduate Credit Management College, UK, 2012.

• Master’s Degree in Credit Administration, International University, Panama, 2007, during the period in which the institution was authorised by the Government of Panama.

• Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Credit Administration, International University, Panama, 2009, during the period in which the institution was authorised by the Government of Panama.

• Appointed Professor of Credit Management by the International University of Panama in 2010, during the period in which the institution was authorised by the Government of Panama.

PERSONAL DATA

Surname: Onalo

First Name: Chris

Other Name: Monday Ejima Date of Birth: 28 June 1957 Nationality: Nigerian

Marital Status: Married to Helen Nnodu; blessed with four children

State of Origin: Kogi State, Nigeria

Place of Birth: Elele, Ibaji Local Government Area, Kogi State, Nigeria

PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS

• Associate Member, Institute of Credit Management, UK — 1985

• Advanced Diploma in Journalism, Time Journalism Institute, Lagos, Nigeria — 1993

• Fellow, National Institute of Credit Administration (NICA), Nigeria — 1996 to Present

• Certified Postgraduate Credit Examiner, London Postgraduate Credit Management College, UK — 2012.

WORK HISTORY

1985–1992

Nigeria Representative, Dun & Bradstreet, UK

Provided credit business report services through Mon-ona Credit and Collection International (MCCI).

1992–Present

Chief Executive Officer, Credit Business Services Global Ltd (CBS Credit)

1992–Present

Registrar/Chief Executive Officer, Institute of Credit Administration (ICA), now – National Institute of Credit Administration (NICA)

Served as Registrar/Chief Executive Officer of ICA from 1992 to 2022 and subsequently continued in the same capacity with NICA.

1995–Present

Founder President/CEO, Postgraduate School of Credit & Financial Management (PSCFM), Nigeria

2001–Present

General Overseer, House of God Fellowship, The Righteous Living Church

 2009–Present

African Regional Director, London Postgraduate Credit Management College (LPCMC), UK

 2012–Present

African Director, Nigerian-London Business Forum (NILOBF), UK 

2015–Present

Founder President, Guild of Christian Entrepreneurs Forum (GCEF), Nigeria

COURSES, CONFERENCES AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

• 2002: Credit Innovation/Annual Conference, Export-Import Bank, USA.

• 2003: Africa Investment Drive, Corporate Council on Africa, USA.

• 2004: Invest in Africa, Commonwealth Business Council, South Africa.

• 2005: Conference of European Credit Management, Finance, Credit and International Business, Dublin, Ireland.

• 2006: Empowering Credit Management Professionalism, Chartered Institute of Credit Management, Warwick, UK.

• 2007: Commonwealth Business Council, Malta.

• 2008: Credit Report System, International Finance Corporation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

• 2008: Credit Guarantee Operations, CBS Credit, UK.

• 2010: Export, Live and Profit through Exports, Export-Import Bank, USA.

• 2013: Nigeria-London Business Networking Luncheon, UK.

• 2014: UK-Nigeria Trade and Investment Roundtable, UK.

• 2014: Greater London Business Conference on Nigeria, UK.

• 2015: UK-Nigeria Economic Forum, UK.

• 2016: UK-Nigeria Investment Summit, UK.

SCHOLARSHIP AND PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION

Professor Onalo’s scholarship is characterised by the translation of theory into professional practice. For more than four decades, he has served as a teacher, examiner, and instructor in credit management education, mentoring thousands of practitioners across credit-granting institutions, including banks, fintech companies, development finance institutions (DFIs), microfinance institutions, and other financial and commercial organisations.

His curricula, lectures, and professional training programmes have contributed to the development of credit management education and professional practice in Nigeria.

LANDMARK NATIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS

Through sustained advocacy and institutional leadership, Professor Onalo contributed to efforts that led to the Federal Government of Nigeria recognising credit management as a national profession, with nationally recognised professional qualifications. This recognition vested the Institute with statutory authority for the governance and professional regulation of credit management practice in Nigeria.

This historic milestone was marked on 22 October 2024 in Lagos during the Institute’s Annual National Credit Managers Conference.

Further deepening this collaboration, the Federal Government of Nigeria, in 2026, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with NICA and five other professional bodies. The MOU provides for the deployment of professional expertise towards the free training of ten million Nigerians, with priority given to women and young people, under the National Credit and Financial Inclusion Programme.

The initiative is intended to deepen access to credit and finance for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) and accelerate economic participation.

Further advancing his vision for the academic institutionalisation of credit management, Professor Onalo leveraged the Federal Government’s recognition of the profession to collaborate with the National Universities Commission (NUC), through Bells University of Technology, Ota, for the introduction of Credit Administration as a course of study to be offered by Nigerian universities, based on the curriculum jointly developed by the parties.

INSTITUTIONAL INITIATIVES AND NATIONAL IMPACT

Professor Onalo has initiated numerous credit-management-related programmes and interventions in Nigeria. These include professional certification pathways, ethical standards frameworks, and capacity-building initiatives designed to de-risk credit-granting transactions, improve asset quality, and expand access to credit for both the real and informal sectors.

His work has contributed to positioning credit management as an important component of national economic infrastructure, with relevance to job creation, MSME growth, financial inclusion, and sustainable economic development.

VALUES, CHARACTER AND PERSONAL LIFE

Beyond his intellectual and professional achievements, Professor Onalo is distinguished by his commitment to honesty, integrity, trustworthiness, and righteousness. These values have earned him the confidence of government institutions, regulators, industry leaders, professional colleagues, and students.

He is also a devoted family man and remains committed to mentoring the next generation of credit management professionals and contributing to the development of Nigeria’s economic and professional institutions.

CREDIT MANAGEMENT SPECIALISATION AND EXPERTISE

Professor Onalo’s areas of specialisation and expertise include:

• Sovereign credit rating.

• Corporate credit reporting and rating.

• Credit policy development and drafting.

• Frameworks for establishing and managing credit guarantee schemes.

• Credit economy advocacy.

• Independent company credit reports for credit decision-making.

• Credit management education and professional development.

• Credit risk management and institutional capacity building.

LEGACY

As a Fellow of the National Institute of Credit Administration (NICA), Professor Chris Onalo’s professional legacy is closely associated with the establishment and institutionalisation of credit management as a recognised profession in Nigeria.

He remains committed to building a generation of certified and chartered credit management professionals who will contribute to an inclusive, resilient, and credit-driven economy in Nigeria and across the African continent.