OPay Nigeria's CEO, Olu Akanmu, Steps Down Amidst 5th Anniversary Celebration

Olu Akanmu, who served as the CEO of OPay Nigeria for two years, recently announced his resignation from the company. He made this announcement on Twitter while celebrating the company's 5th anniversary in Nigeria. Although he did not disclose a specific reason for leaving, he emphasized the importance of increasing financial inclusion for Nigerians. 

Akanmu expressed his gratitude to all stakeholders who supported him during his tenure at OPay and encouraged the fintech community in Nigeria to unite and deepen financial inclusion. He also emphasized the significance of collaborations, public-private partnerships, and coordinated efforts within the digital public infrastructure ecosystem to extend digital financial services to an additional 20 million people.

Meet Olu Akanmu

Olu Akanmu, a seasoned industry expert and former executive director at FCMB, who embarked on an exciting journey in November 2021, joining the Nigerian arm of a Chinese-backed fintech giant.

Under his astute leadership, OPay experienced remarkable growth amid Nigeria's cash crunch, all credits to its ingenious distribution strategies and robust infrastructure.

Departure and Appreciation Speech 

Expressing gratitude to everyone who provided support during his tenure as the CEO of OPay, he said;

“My Gratitude to all my colleagues at Opay for the good work we did together in deepening financial inclusion in Nigeria, ensuring that fewer and fewer number of our people are left behind in partaking out of the opportunities of the digital financial system.”

“Many thanks also to all our ecosystem partners and enablers who complimented us, without which we would not have been able to deliver on the lofty mission of OPay which is to “deepen financial inclusion through technology.”

“Yet there is still so much to be done collectively by us as all to ensure that no one is left behind by the modern digital financial system.”

“The lesson of the cashless or limited Cash period earlier in the year is that millions are not yet included despite the progress we have made collectively as an ecosystem.”

“For the Nigeria Fintech community, the imperative of ensuring that we serve not only the banked and underserved, but also the completely excluded which still represents at least 45% of our people should be our collective and greater patriotic mission, complementing the historic efforts of traditional players”.

“Collaborations, public-private partnerships, and more deliberate coordination at the digital public infrastructure (#dpi) ecosystem layers would be critical to ensure we succeed in doing the next heavy lifting to extend the digital financial rail to the next 20 million.”

Marking its 5th anniversary, OPay Nigeria recently revealed a fresh logo as part of its rebranding efforts. This emblem not only signifies the company's remarkable growth and influence over the years but also signifies its commitment to embracing a new era. The focus lies in offering enhanced services, leveraging technological advancements, and cementing its position as the most dependable financial platform in Nigeria. With such promising strides, OPay is set to revolutionize the financial landscape in the nation.