A Nigerian-born financial risk professional, Oyindamola Ogunruku, is attracting continental attention with the development of NaijaShield, an artificial intelligence system designed to strengthen banking stability in Africa’s volatile markets.

NaijaShield is a stress testing engine that helps banks and regulators simulate financial shocks such as currency fluctuations, commodity price swings, or sudden policy shifts. Unlike traditional models, which are often imported from developed economies and fail to reflect African realities, this tool has been designed with frontier markets in mind. It uses machine learning to detect warning signals, model the ripple effects of crises, and provide compliance-ready reports that align with central bank standards.

For Ghana, where banking sector reforms and regulatory vigilance have been central to economic recovery, the introduction of tools like NaijaShield could provide valuable support. The system offers early warnings and real-time analytics that enable banks to manage vulnerabilities more effectively, while giving regulators an intelligent dashboard to anticipate risks across the financial system.

Ogunruku, who works at Goldman Sachs in the United States, says her invention was motivated by the gaps she observed both in Nigeria and across Africa, where foreign-designed systems often overlook the dynamics of local economies. “Africa’s financial sector needs technology that understands our unique volatility,” she explained. “NaijaShield shows how AI can help us prepare for shocks before they grow into crises.”

Her background combines academic training in applied statistics and decision analytics with practical experience in fintech and global banking. She has authored research on AI applications in stress testing, anomaly detection, and sustainable financial technology. With NaijaShield, she aims to make Africa a leader in applying intelligent systems to regulatory innovation.

Industry watchers in Accra say such innovations could complement Ghana’s own regulatory reforms by introducing advanced tools for resilience and investor confidence.

As financial systems across the continent integrate more closely, NaijaShield is being viewed as an African solution to an African challenge.