Maria Sokenu was a pioneer in banking at a time when few Nigerian women held leadership roles in the industry. After working for several banks in the United Kingdom, she returned home to build a career at New Nigeria Bank, Owena Bank, and Ecobank.

In the early 1990s, she became the first managing director of the People's Bank of Nigeria, leading an institution created to extend financial services to those traditionally excluded from mainstream banking.

Beyond her professional career, Sokenu was dedicated to women’s empowerment and philanthropy, always seeking practical solutions to social challenges. She founded the Institute for Poverty Eradication, an NGO focused on supporting miscreants and providing economic empowerment and training for the vulnerable.