Grace Abikoye is a graduate intern with the Strategy and Corporate Finance team at AFEX. As one of the awesome talents from the AFEX Bar Raiser Program she has a lot happening for her and in this interview, she really lets us in.

“Before I joined AFEX, I was everywhere…” Grace states, laughing at comments about her impressive resume that seems to underscore a relentless quest to redefine what it means to be a young professional.

“…I realized early enough the importance of extra-curriculars in developing my skills and competencies as well as in creating the necessary opportunities to earn a place in a reputable organization like AFEX. So, I became an active member of Association Internationale des étudiants en sciences économiques et commerciales (AIESEC) where I worked in the Incoming Global Entrepreneur arm. I was one of the fellows of the first cohort of Millennium Campus Fellowship – a fellowship by Millennium Campus Network in partnership with the United Nations focused on student-led community projects.

During this program, I founded an NGO called Sponsor a Beske Child to School to mentor and sponsor the formal education of the indigent children who hawk and beg for alms in Ilorin, Kwara State. I also worked at HA Blissful Farms, for the fulfillment of the compulsory internship program of my school. I participated in the Hult Prize competition, where I came third in my university; the CFA Ethics challenge, where I came third in Nigeria, and the CFA Equity Research challenge, which took me to the finals. The highlight of my experience has been an internship at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, after which I was appointed the President of The Investment Society in my University.”

Things were coming together nicely for Grace, who is a graduate of Agricultural Science from the University of Ilorin. Her answer to that has been to seek new challenges and step up even more in the fast-paced industry that she has chosen.

Speaking about coming into the AFEX Bar Raiser Program, Grace shares, “I am a visionary and I am a pretty confident young lady. I have a passion for the commodities market and exchanges, so I had an eye on AFEX since October 2021. I was in communication with the AFEX Talent Manager since November 2021 and was definitely hoping for an in. Interestingly, the CEO had requested CVs on LinkedIn a few months ago and I sent mine. However, I came across the internship program e-flier on LinkedIn, and I applied. It was mostly great and shocking interviewing for the bar raiser program because I was not expecting so many interviewers on board.

At the orientation program, I got to learn a lot about AFEX which set a good foundation for my role as a Strategy and Corporate Finance intern. I learned the importance of having a good culture in ensuring the productivity of staff. The induction was super fun and the food, how could I forget that. We love food at AFEX and it’s just a great experience.”

Starting a new job in a new environment can be tasking, but Grace is bringing new ideas to the building, and working to drive AFEX’s vision forward.

“In my role, I help to build the strategy decks for the firm, monitor the goals of each squad, and assist with management presentations and weekly reports of the capital markets and CBN policies.

My experience so far has been good and fun. There has been a balance of learning and playing while at it. I have a great boss that is supportive and it’s great to know that everyone is approachable at AFEX.

I would advise future graduate interns to be open to learning, be ready to work, make friends, and most importantly, find time for personal development because it helps. Just be yourself.”