Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Prospera Finance Limited, Dr. Joshua Obinna Umesegha, is a seasoned financial expert committed to bridging Nigeria’s financial literacy gap. Drawing from his extensive background as a financial analyst, relationship manager, and credit risk expert, Dr. Umesegha established Prospera Finance to offer tailored financial solutions that prioritize calculated risk management, customer confidentiality, and long-term financial health. In this exclusive interview, he discusses the driving vision behind the firm, navigating macroeconomic volatility, leveraging secure technology, and partnering with Shakara Square to promote the intersection of physical wellness and financial freedom.
Why did you start Prospera Finance? Other companies offer similar services, what specific gap did you set out to fill?
What brought us to this mission is the reality that many people lack financial literacy, even though they constantly handle money and interact with financial opportunities. Having gathered experience as a financial analyst, relationship manager, and credit risk analyst, I felt compelled to take the bull by the horns and guide people onto the right track—and that track is ultimate financial freedom. That is what we are building here at Prospera Finance Limited. Our goal isn’t just to provide financial solutions; it’s to improve our clients’ financial responsibility, heighten their awareness, and ultimately elevate their overall financial health. Health is wealth, not to sound cliché. We want the general public to be fully aware and deliberate about the financial decisions they make.
Looking back at your first two years, or one year officially on the books, what would you consider Prospera’s single biggest achievement?
If you’re counting off the books, it’s been two years; by the books, it’s one year. Looking back, our greatest achievement is earning the trust of our customers. Trust is something we are constantly building and improving. Judging by our current portfolio and the steady stream of referrals it generates, it speaks volumes about what we are doing, the vision of Prospera, and our future. I won’t focus on the physical assets we’ve acquired because trust is the one key that unlocks everything else.
Given Nigeria’s economic volatility and naira fluctuations, many people are sceptical about investing. How do you convince clients to commit their capital?
While we provide tailored financing, what sets Prospera Finance Limited apart is taking calculated risks. We stay strictly aligned with regulatory frameworks, we play by the books. But playing by the books doesn’t mean we can’t formulate our own innovative solutions. We learn from those who came before us in this industry and fine-tune our approach to stay fully compliant. When navigating market and currency volatility, calculated risk is our best strategy. We make sure we thoroughly understand every venture before entering it, ensuring we never overtrade or stretch beyond our capacity. As a risk analyst, I don’t look at risk from a purely defensive standpoint; we actively look for the opportunities embedded within that risk and manoeuvre accordingly.
You are also leveraging technology. What security measures have you put in place to protect customer data from cyber threats?
First, we are certified by the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), which binds us strictly to client confidentiality. We never disclose customer information for convenience. Second, we have established robust internal tools that safeguard data privacy while giving customers full transparency over their information. We engage them through regular newsletters, secure POS terminals, and soon, our new mobile app. By God’s grace, our mobile application will launch very soon. It will allow customers to make transfers, pay bills, and manage investments conveniently from their homes. To ensure absolute security, top-tier cloud engineers have secured both the front-end and back-end architecture. Our customers have nothing to worry about—we have never recorded a single data breach across our POS networks or financial services. We also avoid overspending on technology just because an expensive option is popular. We deploy technology that fits our budget, matches our system requirements, safeguards confidentiality, and builds customer trust.
Prospera recently partnered with Shakara Square for a major fitness event. Why did you choose to collaborate with them?
You can’t execute everything alone in business; you need strong partners and sponsors who bring unique strengths to the table. If a partner has a wider reach or specialized expertise, collaborating shows strategic strength. We partnered with Shakara Square because they have an exceptional audience outreach and share our core values: meeting people’s needs, encouraging healthy living, and building wellness awareness. This platform allows people from various sectors to engage with our brand and understand what Prospera Finance Limited stands for. Shakara Square has built a long-standing reputation around the concept that health is wealth. To guarantee financial freedom for the public, we must align with partners who share that exact philosophy. For us, this isn’t just about brand visibility; it’s about ensuring the longevity and impact of our core mission.
Is this partnership with Shakara Square a one-off campaign, or do you plan to sustain it long-term?
It is definitely a sustainable, long-term partnership. I have known the Shakara Square team for quite some time, and they are a fantastic force to work with. I admire their business ethics, how they treat their customers, how they serve the public, and their top-notch, highly professional media strategy.
If you want to build world-class solutions, you must collaborate with the very best, and Shakara Square fits that role perfectly.