Professor Deborah Omotsefe Odejimi is a distinguished academic, researcher, and higher education administrator with over three decades of experience in teaching, research, and university leadership. She is a Professor of Economic Development and Finance at Igbinedion University, Okada, Nigeria, where she joined in 2001 and rose from Lecturer II to the rank of Professor. Her academic training is multidisciplinary, encompassing Business Administration, Economics & Statistics and Finance at both master’s and doctoral levels reflecting a strong interdisciplinary foundation that supports her contributions to economic policy, development planning, and higher education management. She has taught extensively at undergraduate and postgraduate levels and has supervised numerous research projects, dissertations, and doctoral theses across economics, finance, development studies, and business administration.
Professor Odejimi has held several senior leadership positions central to the strategic growth of the University, including Head of the Department of Economics and Development Studies, Dean of the College of Arts and Social Sciences, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (2017–2021), and currently Dean of the School of Postgraduate Studies & Research/Director of the Centre for Gender studies. In these roles, she has provided effective oversight in academic governance, postgraduate education reform, research administration, quality assurance, and institutional capacity development. Her leadership has strengthened postgraduate systems, enhanced research coordination, and supported the University’s national and international visibility.
Her research interests focus on finance and development economics, with strong specialization in portfolio investment, financial inclusion, e-commerce, microfinance, women empowerment, and gender studies. She has made significant scholarly contributions to gender-responsive development research, particularly on women’s economic participation and digital financial inclusion. Notably, she has featured as initiator and co-investigator on externally funded research projects addressing, sexual harassment, advancing the rights and privileges of IDPs, digital financial inclusion for women and vulnerable populations in Nigeria and across Africa. Professor Odejimi is a recipient of multiple teaching excellence awards and is a full member of the Nigerian Economic Society. She is also actively engaged in international research and policy networks promoting inclusive and sustainable development.
