Efe Ebieroma: Fincra’s Commitment to Democratise Access to Payment Solution
In this interview with Sunday Ehigiator, Lead Developer Relations Analyst and Support Manager at Fincra, Efe Ebieroma, speaks on how Fincra, a leading Fintech payment platform, has democratised access to payment solutions for global businesses. He also spoke on his pathway into the Fintech space, and Fincra’svision and drive for standards, and innovative solutions in the tech industry
What inspired you to pursue a career in computer science, and how has your journey been so far?
My interest in computer science began in 2005 when I taught myself to use our family computer. My elder brother had installed the Windows operating system, and I started exploring websites like miniclips.com to play games. This initial curiosity about computers sparked my passion for problem-solving.
In secondary school, I excelled in mathematics, physics, chemistry, computer science, and the biological sciences. After careful research, I decided to pursue a career in computer science. Not only did it align with my strengths and interests, but it also offered the best potential for financial stability and career growth.
As one of the founding software engineers and support managers at Fincra, what were some of your initial challenges, and how did you overcome them?
As a founding software engineer and support manager at Fincra, one of my initial challenges was balancing my dual roles effectively. I had to work on core technical services like our payout APIs and conversion APIs, as well as the technical development of our front-facing merchant dashboards and the support needs of our users. This required strong time management and prioritisation skills.
Understanding and addressing the diverse needs of our user base was critical. I spent much time gathering feedback from developers, CTOs, CEOs, and business owners and working closely with the engineering and product management team to incorporate this feedback into our product roadmap.
Through collaboration, continuous learning, and a user-centric approach, I overcame these challenges and contributed to Fincra’s growth and success.
How do you ensure the development of user-friendly and high-standard products at Fincra?
Well, as a developer relations engineer, I ensure this by testing our products, mostly APIs, before they are released to the public. I ensure that the products work as expected, especially if the API product was developed based on feedback from developers and merchants who use our products.
Can you walk us through your experience in providing technical support to developers and conducting training sessions?
My experience providing support to developers has been awesome; it’s something I love to do. I am all for sharing this.
In Fincra, we have a Slack community where developers can ask questions or seek help for their issues. Also, depending on the level of merchant integration, we may add them to our Slack workspace and create a unique channel for them. Aside from that, I also ensure that the documentation is regularly updated.
How have you contributed to Fincra’s growth and establishment as a trusted name in the Nigerian fintech industry?
For growth, before I became the lead developer relations engineer, we had just two major merchants, but after I took the developer relations role, I mapped out the complete developer flow, which we used in-house. As a developer relations engineer, I have been the face of Fincra to developers in the Nigerian fintechspace.
As the Lead Developer Relations Analyst and Support Manager, what are your key responsibilities, and how do you approach them?
As the Lead Developer Relations Analyst and Support Manager, my key responsibilities include setting my team KPI for the quarter, managing the support team, which is made up of three software support engineers, writing technical documentation, managing the Fincradeveloper community both offline and online, testing APIs, building tools such as dashboards for the merchant success teams, and managing and tracking merchant integrations.
I approach these responsibilities through effective time management, careful planning, and close collaboration with other teams like engineering, product, and customer success.
I ensure I am always in sync with the engineering and product teams for technical documentation. When they start working on a new feature, such as an API, I begin testing these features, sharing feedback, and documenting them accordingly. For the merchant success teams, I build features such as dashboards to view transactions and signed-up users, which they need on the admin dashboard.
In managing merchant integrations, I track progress in collaboration with the merchant success team. We maintain a list of developers and businesses integrating our APIs.
I review this list weekly, and if a company still needs to complete its integration or go live, I reach out personally or delegate this task to someone on my team. We identify any blockers, schedule calls for technical issues, and escalate non-technical issues such as pricing or compliance to the appropriate team.
My approach is effective because I work with an exceptional team, and I always ensure that our quarterly KPIs are closely followed and achieved.
How do you stay updated with the latest advancements in fintech and payments technology?
I stay updated with the latest fintech and payment technology advancements through several methods. I regularly read industry blogs like Tech Cabal, Finextra, TechCrunch, and TechPoint Africa and sign up for newsletters from industry experts.
Attending major conferences and webinars is another key way I stay current. Networking with other professionals in the fintech industry through LinkedIn, professional WhatsApp, and Telegram groups is also crucial.
As the lead in developer relations, I engage with various developer communities and forums. This helps me stay informed about the latest API developments, tools, and technologies in fintech. I also follow key thought leaders and influencers in the fintech and payments industry on social media and their blogs.
Finally, I stay current by directly working with new technologies in my role. Testing new APIs, implementing new tools, and experimenting with emerging technologies help me understand their practical applications and potential impact on our business. By combining all these methods, I doubt if there is a way I will not be aware of the latest advancements in the fintech industry.
What strategies do you employ to foster a supportive and innovative environment in the fintech community?
I spoke with my CEO about creating a fintech online community, and I received the go-ahead to establish and manage the Fincra dev community. One of the primary goals of this community is to encourage open communication and collaboration among members, especially developers.
I actively participate in discussions to ensure everyone feels heard and valued. Recognising and celebrating the achievements of community members is crucial, and I make it a point to highlight their successes and contributions. By fostering an environment of recognition and support, I help create a vibrant and innovative community.
How do you facilitate seamless integration and utilisation of Fincra’s payment solutions for developers?
I employ several key strategies to facilitate seamless integration and utilisation of Fincra’s payment solutions for developers. Comprehensive documentation is a cornerstone of my approach. I ensure that our API documentation is up-to-date, easy to understand, and includes detailed and quick-start guides to help developers integrate our APIs efficiently.
Supporting developers throughout the entire integration process is also crucial. From the initial stages to going live, I make sure the support team is accessible through various channels, including our online Slack community, emails, calls, and dedicated support channels on Slack or Skype for merchants requiring privacy.
I also track the integration process of merchants by using a list to track the integration process of merchants and identify their blockers as soon as possible so I can assist them.
We take developers’ feedback very seriously. I actively seek feedback through surveys, feedback forms, and direct conversations. This feedback loop helps us continuously improve our APIs and integration processes, making necessary adjustments to our technical documentation, features, and support services.
By combining these strategies, I ensure that developers can integrate and utilise Fincra’s payment solutions seamlessly, leading to successful implementations and satisfied users.
What are some of the most common challenges developers face when integrating payment solutions, and how do you address them?
When integrating payment solutions, developers often face several common challenges. One major challenge is understanding and navigating complex API documentation. To address this, I ensure our API documentation is comprehensive, up-to-date, and easy to understand, including detailed integration guides and quick-start tutorials.
Another frequent issue is encountering technical difficulties during the integration process. To support developers, we provide robust assistance from the start of their integration to when they go live. Our support team is accessible through various channels, such as our online Slack community, emails, calls, and dedicated private support channels on Slack or Skype for specific merchants.
Tracking the progress of integration and identifying blockers early is also critical. I maintain a meticulous tracking system to monitor merchant integrations, allowing us to promptly identify and address any issues and ensure a smooth integration process.
Lastly, receiving and acting on developer feedback is essential for continuous improvement. I actively seek feedback through surveys, feedback forms, and direct conversations. I use this input to enhance our APIs, technical documentation, features, and support services.
By addressing these challenges with comprehensive documentation, firm support, diligent tracking, and continuous feedback, we facilitate a seamless integration experience for developers using Fincra’spayment solutions.
How do you measure the success of your support initiatives and technical training programs?
I measure the success of our support initiatives and technical training programs through several key metrics. One crucial indicator is the number of merchants going live with our payment solutions.
This demonstrates that our support and training are effective in helping developers achieve full integration. Additionally, a reduction in the frequency of common issues reported by developers indicates that our documentation and training address potential problems before they arise.
We also track the number of support tickets related to specific issues. A decrease in these tickets over time suggests that our proactive support and training effectively prevent and resolve common challenges. By monitoring these metrics, I ensure that our support initiatives and technical training programs continuously improve and meet the needs of our developer community.
Can you share an experience where your technical expertise and leadership skills made a significant impact on a project or initiative?
As the first support engineer at Fincra, I leveraged my programming skills and co-built the first admin back office for the operations and treasury team; the team needed to spool transaction data, do some calculations, and update the currency pairs and several miscellaneous things.
I scheduled a call with the different teams, including merchant success, operations, treasury, etc., documented their needs and worked with the product team to build the back office they needed for their day-to-day operations.
Initially, I used to do most of these operations myself; I get the currency pairs from the treasury team and update them via API calls or get a requirement to spool data from the database for the operations team.
I will write some NOSQL queries and generate the reports. However, I figured out that I could build the tools the teams needed so that they could handle the tasks themselves. As a support engineer, I wasn’t just supporting external developers; I also supported the various teams internally so that they could function well.
How do you envision the future of payment technology in Africa, and what role does Fincra aim to play in shaping it?
I envision the future of payment technology in Africa as one where moving money, and value is as easy as sending a text message.
At Fincra, we are committed to making this vision a reality by providing businesses with virtual bank accounts, several products like payouts, and conversion APIs that enable seamless transactions.
Consider a designer, developer, or freelancer who needs to receive payments for services rendered to clients in countries like England, Ireland, Italy, and France. Fincra simplifies this process, allowing them to receive payments in seconds.
Our virtual accounts enable businesses to receive and make payments across continents in USD, EUR, and GBP.
Fincra aims to democratize access to payment solutions, making it easy and accessible for everyone.
We aim to ensure that receiving and making payments is no longer a privilege for a few but a convenience available to all. By offering robust and user-friendly payment solutions, Fincra is poised to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of payment technology in Africa.
What advice would you give to young professionals aspiring to build a career in fintech and payments technology?
For young professionals aspiring to build a career in fintech and payments technology, my advice is to be humble, start by picking a niche—whether it’s programming, customer success, product management, or accounting—and focus on developing those skills.
Take courses, join tech communities, attend events, and network with industry veterans to gain insights and opportunities.
Let me say this: your first job may not be what you wanted, but that’s okay. Embrace the opportunity and use it as a stepping stone to grow and learn. Many successful fintech leaders did not have it when they started. Keep coding, building projects, and honing your skills.
Your primary goal should be to enter the sector, and from there, you can explore different roles and opportunities. Stay humble, be open to learning from everyone, and seize every chance to expand your knowledge and expertise.
I leave with this biblical verse taken from Ecclesiastes 9.10: “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might.” Embrace every opportunity with dedication and enthusiasm, knowing each experience contributes to your growth and journey in the fintech industry.
How do you strike a balance between technical and leadership responsibilities in your current role, and what skills do you rely on most?
I rely on effective time management and delegation. I prioritise tasks based on urgency and importance, ensuring that technical projects and leadership duties receive adequate attention.
In terms of skills, soft skills like communication and teamwork are crucial. Clear communication helps me convey technical concepts to non-technical team members and stakeholders. At the same time, teamwork allows me to collaborate effectively with my colleagues to achieve our goals.
Additionally, my programming skills enable me to address technical challenges efficiently, while leadership skills empower me to inspire and guide my team toward success.
