Biography
Dr. Godwin Ehigiamusoe (born August 21, 1958) is a Nigerian entrepreneur and microfinance practitioner who founded the Lift Above Poverty Organization (LAPO) in 1987 in response to Nigeria’s Structural Adjustment Programme. Today, he serves as Chairman of LAPO Microfinance Bank, one of sub-Saharan Africa’s largest microfinance institutions, after stepping down from his role as Managing Director in 2019.
As a foremost microfinance practitioner, Ehigiamusoe has applied the concept of social enterprise to successfully build thriving enterprises addressing the needs of persons and businesses at the bottom end of society. His business interests span microfinance, micro-insurance, agriculture, micro-leasing, healthcare, and education – sectors critical to economic empowerment in underserved communities.
Ehigiamusoe earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Benin, and later completed a Doctorate in Policy and Development from Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma. In recognition of his contributions to development, the University of Benin awarded him a Doctor of Science (D.Sc) honoris causa in 2016. Beyond his executive responsibilities, he contributes textbooks to the literature on development, microfinance, and NGO management, blending theory and practice in his business ethics.
Under his leadership, LAPO evolved into a vast collection of mutually reinforcing institutions and businesses providing social and economic empowerment services to millions of Nigerians and Sierra Leoneans. In 2016 alone, LAPO institutions disbursed loans totaling N140.4 billion to entrepreneurs and small businesses. The organization’s impact extends beyond finance into healthcare, education, and agricultural development.
Described as a revolutionary in the best sense, Ehigiamusoe is characterized as thoughtful and highly cerebral – preferring to remain behind the scenes while letting his leadership-groomed talents and results do the talking. His philosophy echoes Martin Luther King Jr.’s conviction: “Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. I can never be what I want to be until you are what you ought to be.”
Dr. Ehigiamusoe authored “Touching Lives: My LAPO Journey,” a memoir detailing his evolution from the cooperative movement to pioneering microfinance development in Nigeria. A devout Christian, he is married with five children and continues championing financial inclusion and poverty alleviation across Africa.