Interview with Olukunle Aboderin, a Pioneering Leader in Africa’s Financial Technology Industry

We had the privilege to speak with Olukunle Aboderin, a pioneering leader in Africa’s financial technology industry. Currently the Assistant Vice President of Financial Operations and Treasury at Flutterwave, Olukunle brings over a decade of experience working across banking, payments and data analytics.

In this exclusive interview, Olukunle takes us through his impressive journey from his entertainment career at the university to becoming a driver of financial inclusion in Africa. Read on for insights from this multidimensional leader as he shares his story in his own words.

Please introduce yourself to our readers

Olukunle: My name is Olukunle Aboderin. I currently serve as the Assistant Vice President of Financial Operations and Treasury at Flutterwave, a fintech company that provides a payment infrastructure for global merchants and payment service providers across the continent.

Can you walk us through your early life and upbringing? What was your childhood like?

Olukunle: I grew up in Ibadan with my parents. My parents ensured I had a comfortable childhood despite coming from a humble background. Growing up as a child, I knew that my strength was always on the numeric side of things; I just had an innate ability with numbers much more than I did with words. Beyond academics, I enjoyed social activities and entertainment, which earned me the designation of Social Prefect in Secondary school. My father was also a music lover and DJ, so I was exposed to diverse music genres growing up. I had a well-rounded childhood.

Where did you attend university and what did you study?

Olukunle: I studied Physics at the Osun State University. As a new university then, I was part of the pioneer set of students. I chose to study Physics because it was my area of strength and my core competency was calculations and quantitative skills. Beyond academics, I was very active in campus life and student leadership. In my second year, I started leading the Mathematical Science department alongside a few other people till I graduated. I also started a career in entertainment in school, which in combination with my academics shaped me into a socially conscious and analytical person.

Can you tell us more about your entertainment career? When did that start and what exactly did you do?

Olukunle: During my university days, I saw an opportunity to leverage my love for music into income generation on campus. This was around 2008 when I started DJing professionally. I quickly became the most sought-after DJ for all major events due to my skills and ability to play the latest Nigerian pop music, which was gaining popularity. I won an award as best DJ in Osun state in 2011, got the opportunity to anchor a radio game show and also hosted a music countdown show on TV. My social nature and music knowledge made me a natural entertainer.

What motivated your transition from entertainment into a career in finance?

Olukunle: After university, as much as I wanted to continue DJing, I knew I needed to build a career and earn income faster than entertainment would allow in the long term. I came from a humble background, so I was motivated to break out and upskill into a more sophisticated profession. I leveraged my strength with numbers, logic and analytics to pivot into finance, while maintaining DJing on the side initially. My NYSC placement at a fintech company, eTranzact, opened the door and they retained me full-time after NYSC. This pretty much set the foundation for my career in finance.

Can you tell us more about your career journey in finance?

Olukunle: My 13+ year career has equipped me with well-rounded expertise spanning payments operations, Products, risk management, internal control & audits, and data analytics across top institutions. After eTranzact, I worked with several banks like First Bank, FCMB, and Skye Bank and across several departments within operations, technology and data. These experiences taught me a lot and gave me cross-functional exposure within the finance sector, which contributed to how fast I grew and how formidable I have become in my career so far.

I also spent time at a fintech lending company where I worked across departments and managed portfolio and data analysis. Alongside working, I pursued a master’s degree in Actuarial Science from the University of Lagos and another in Data Science & Analytics from the University of Hertfordshire in the United Kingdom with distinction. I then joined Flutterwave in 2020.

What does your role at Flutterwave entail?

Olukunle: As AVP of Financial Operations and Treasury, I oversee core functions like Payouts  Switching, FX, reconciliations, and other Treasury operations. My objective is to ensure seamless cross-border payments as we link African currencies and payment channels to global markets.

In simple terms,in order to connect the emerging market and frontier market to the rest of the world, the main mandate of my team is to use FX and payment technology to achieve this connection. So if you are in Nigeria, and you want to pay or get paid in South Africa or you are in South Africa and you want to pay or get paid in the UK, my team works to ensure that those transactions are happening and at the optimal level from the Operations & treasury perspective.

My role requires continuously analyzing numbers, flows, margins, settlements and risk metrics to advise the business and improve efficiencies. I also liaise with partners worldwide and maintain relationships with providers. My experience across banking and startup fintechs is valuable in my role at Flutterwave as we modernize payments infrastructure across Africa.

You seem to have a passion for developing young talents through your incubator. Can you elaborate on that?

Olukunle: Yes, I started the BAI Incubator in 2020 to identify promising global talents with analytical capabilities and a passion for learning, but lacking experience. My vision was to groom future leaders and talents for fields like data and analytics, which I have expertise in. We provide training, mentorship and short-term projects for the talents to build their skills. Although it’s still a small initiative, I’m proud that over 20 people have benefited from the mentorship and hands-on experience we offer at the incubator.

Lastly, how would you summarize your leadership approach and philosophy?

Olukunle: My leadership style is grounded in three principles. One – I value the culture of people over processes. When I’m leading a team, I always emphasize that the people in the team are much more important than the process because when you have a process that works, it is because of the people. Two – I prioritize innovation over checking the box, which is something that has made me enjoy working in a company like Flutterwave.

Three – I prefer to lead with context and not control, so people understand the bigger purpose. This participatory approach has allowed me to positively influence and motivate teams to exceed expectations. I enjoy developing others to reach their potential, and leading with these values has been a success thus far.

What excites you most about African financial technology right now?

Olukunle: Solving the fragmentation of payments across Africa excites me. People and currencies should be able to move seamlessly, and that is why Flutterwave’s mission aligns with my passion to drive financial inclusion.

Are there any other passions you currently have beyond your professional work and mentorship?

Olukunle: Work-life balance is important to me. I make sure to find time to relax and recharge. I also still enjoy music – I occasionally perform DJ gigs for major international events. But problem-solving is my true passion, whether through finance or mentoring others.

Thank you Olukunle for sharing your journey and experiences. It’s clear you have a wealth of knowledge and an inspiring vision to make a difference. We wish you the very best!

Olukunle: I appreciate the opportunity to tell my story and I hope it encourages others to maximize their talents and contribute positively to society as well.