No single view of where data lives
Payment and customer data sits across core systems, extracts, backups, vendors and cloud platforms, and no single view shows every copy.
Data, governance and AI for financial institutions
Reliable data foundations for financial institutions.
Ahjayee helps banks, fintechs and payment providers across Africa strengthen data ownership, lineage and quality, prepare for regulatory requirements and adopt AI responsibly.
Nearly 20 years across risk, data and regulatory programmes in global banking, including BCBS 239, FRTB, TRIM and US IHC.
Common challenges
Issues we see.
Reporting relies on manual reconciliation
Risk and regulatory reporting depends on manual reconciliations, inconsistent definitions and unclear ownership of critical data.
AI ambitions are ahead of data readiness
There is interest in using AI in credit, fraud or customer operations before the data, lineage and governance are ready to support it.
Clear ownership
Traceable lineage
Reliable data
Governed AI
Ways to work together
Start with a clear view of your data.
01
Data Readiness Assessment
Understand your data before the next change
For institutions preparing for a regulatory requirement such as data localisation, a system migration, new reporting or AI adoption. The assessment establishes what data you hold, where it and its copies sit across systems, backups and vendors, who owns it, and what needs to change.
- Stakeholder interviews across technology, risk and compliance
- Data inventory and classification
- Lineage mapping from source to reports, vendors and backups
- Vendor, cloud and disaster recovery review
- Gap analysis against the relevant requirement or objective
- Prioritised action plan
Fixed scope Investment confirmed after initial discussion
02
Data Governance and Reporting Review
Strengthen the data behind reporting
Establish ownership, definitions, lineage and controls for the data behind risk, regulatory and management reporting, drawing on BCBS 239 principles.
- Critical data element identification
- Ownership and accountability model
- Data definitions and business glossary
- End-to-end lineage for priority reports
- Data quality and control gap assessment
- Remediation plan and governance roadmap
Scoped to need Investment confirmed after initial discussion
03
Governed AI Implementation
Explainable AI for credit and operations
Design and implement AI use cases in credit, operations or customer service that combine deterministic financial logic with tested, explainable AI.
- Use case selection by value, risk and data readiness
- Data requirements and source controls
- Solution design combining rules and AI
- Evaluation framework for accuracy and consistency
- Human oversight and escalation design
- Implementation and handover
Scoped to need Investment confirmed after initial discussion
04
Fractional AI and Data Partner
Lead execution and governance
Ongoing senior support for leaders managing several data, AI, regulatory or reporting initiatives at once.
- Leadership decision sessions and priority-setting
- Oversight of active data and transformation work
- Vendor, tooling and implementation guidance
- Support for governance and accountability
- Portfolio-level view of progress and blockers
- Clear next decisions for leadership
From $7,500/month Scope and cadence agreed upfront
Starting investment: Advisory work is scoped around the regulatory or business decision, complexity, stakeholders and requirements. Any implementation, configuration, integration or custom development work is proposed separately once the appropriate approach is clear.
Experience
Our work draws on years spent inside global banks, working on risk, data and regulatory programmes.
Global banking
Risk, data and regulatory roles across Barclays, Citi, BNP Paribas, Deutsche Bank and Handelsbanken, covering market risk, credit risk and treasury.
Regulatory programmes
BCBS 239 data lineage, FRTB credit risk, the ECB's Targeted Review of Internal Models (TRIM) and US Intermediate Holding Company (IHC) delivery.
Hands-on delivery
A group-wide data system for a multi-sector Nigerian group, applied financial AI including credit memo generation, and platforms for African SMEs.
About
Founded by a financial services data practitioner.
Ahjayee was founded by Banke Ajayi, who has spent nearly 20 years working on risk, data and regulatory problems from inside global financial institutions.
At Barclays Capital, she led BCBS 239 data lineage analysis across front-office trading books and downstream risk systems. At Citi, she led the global credit risk workstream for FRTB. At BNP Paribas, she worked on FRTB, TRIM and US IHC regulatory delivery. At Handelsbanken, she led data lineage and mapping across the bank's risk systems.
In that work, many issues that first looked like technology problems turned out to be about data ownership, definitions and process. Ahjayee starts there, so that regulatory reporting, management information and AI are built on reliable data.
Alongside consulting, Banke is the founder of Find A Biz Africa, YouSabiSell and BizTraka, and publishes research on trust and data infrastructure in emerging markets.
How we work
Senior-led and practical.
Ahjayee works directly with technology, risk, compliance and leadership teams. Every engagement begins with a clear decision, has defined milestones and produces clearly documented outputs an internal team or delivery partner can implement.
Define the decision
We start with the regulatory requirement, data problem or opportunity that needs clarity. We do not begin with a pre-selected technology.
Work visibly
Scope, timelines, stakeholders, meeting cadence and deliverables are agreed upfront so progress and accountability remain clear.
Leave clear documentation
You receive data maps, ownership models, documentation and next steps that support internal review and let the work continue after the engagement.
Also for growing businesses and groups
Scaling a business or a multi-sector group?
The same approach applies to growing businesses and groups that need clear processes, reliable records and systems that can support expansion.
Business Foundation Audit
Find the process, data, ownership or reporting constraint slowing the business down, and leave with a 90-day action plan.
From $12,500 3 weeks
Operating System Blueprint
Turn one important operating problem into a build-ready business system, process or decision workflow.
From $30,000 6 weeks
Business Systems Advisory
For businesses considering an ERP, CRM, reporting platform, workflow automation, data platform or AI-enabled internal tool.
Scoped to need Investment confirmed after initial discussion
Frequently asked questions
What does a data readiness assessment involve?
We interview key stakeholders, review the relevant systems and data flows, and map where data and its copies sit, including backups and vendor-held data. You receive a data inventory, a gap analysis against the requirement or objective, and a prioritised action plan. Scope and timeline are agreed before work begins.
Can you help us prepare for data localisation?
Yes. The assessment can be focused on the payment data localisation requirement, helping you establish which data, systems and vendors are in scope, including copies that may sit outside core systems. We work alongside your legal and compliance teams. This is not legal advice.
Do we need to know exactly what to fix before we start?
No. Many engagements begin with symptoms, such as slow reporting, disputed numbers or uncertainty about where data sits. The first step is to agree which issue matters most and what to address first.
How do you handle confidential information?
Engagements are covered by a confidentiality agreement, and we work within your access controls and information security policies. Where possible, analysis is carried out within your own environment.
Is this only for AI projects?
No. Most work begins with data ownership, lineage, quality or governance. AI is introduced only where the data and controls can support it and it improves a defined process, decision or customer outcome.
Do you build the solution?
The work is designed to lead into delivery. Large engineering, configuration, integration or implementation work is scoped separately once the requirements and delivery approach are clear. Ahjayee can support decisions, governance and delivery oversight where appropriate.
Can you work with institutions outside Nigeria?
Yes. Ahjayee works with financial institutions across Africa and internationally, using clear scope, governance, documentation and agreed working rhythms to support cross-border engagements.
Get in touch
Preparing for regulatory change, a governance review or AI adoption?
Use the introductory conversation to explain what data you hold, where the pressure is coming from and what needs to be decided. We will determine whether a data readiness assessment, governance review, AI engagement or ongoing partnership is the right starting point.
Book an introductory conversation