In a continent more and more outlined by its digital promise, Nigerian entrepreneur and software program engineer Damilare Ajiboye is rising as one of many notable figures bridging Africa’s innovation potential with world expertise calls for.
Damilare Ajiboye, is the founder and chief govt officer of Ocean Traits Digital Restricted, a Lagos-based software program firm that has grown steadily since its inception in 2017. Initially launched as a modest startup with a handful of engineers, Ocean Traits now employs over 50 employees throughout a number of areas, delivering digital options utilized in Africa, North America, and Europe.
From its roots in Ilorin, Kwara State, the corporate has developed right into a multi-product tech ecosystem, constructing and managing platforms in finance, healthcare, schooling, commerce, and infrastructure. Ocean Traits’ merchandise have reportedly been adopted by microfinance establishments, cooperatives, worldwide grownup care suppliers, and particular person customers throughout a number of nations.
Amongst its most notable platforms is Bimzukash, a mortgage administration system tailor-made to Africa’s credit score panorama; Easybill, a utility and telecom fee platform; and AlheriCare, a care administration instrument designed for the U.S. grownup care sector. Different instruments embrace Immibuddy, an AI-based platform for worldwide college students navigating schooling and immigration processes; BimzuWater, a utility operations system for water firms; and EarnIt NG, a social commerce platform focusing on Nigeria’s rising gig financial system.
Ajiboye says the aim was by no means merely to construct software program, however to create instruments that resolve long-standing issues.
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“What started in Ilorin, grew in Lagos, and is now supporting purchasers overseas,” he mentioned in a cellphone interview. “It was about execution — proving that tech from Africa can scale and compete globally.”
Ajiboye’s strategy to enterprise management blends his twin educational coaching in accounting and laptop science. He holds levels {and professional} certifications from the Nationwide Open College of Nigeria, the College of Wolverhampton within the UK, and is a chartered accountant with ICAN.
Business observers level to Ajiboye’s trajectory as a part of a wider development of African builders constructing not only for worldwide purchasers, however for African customers — creating scalable, domestically related tech that travels past the continent’s borders.
His efforts have earned him recognition in varied quarters. He was named CEO of the Yr by the All Strategy to Tech Awards in 2020 and featured in African Beneath 40 CEOs Awards hosted in South Africa this 12 months. In 2019, Join Nigeria listed Ocean Traits amongst its high rising companies.
But Ajiboye insists the work is way from over.
“We’re increasing our engineering groups and coming into new markets,” he mentioned. “However our actual focus stays unchanged — utilizing software program to make on a regular basis life extra environment friendly, inexpensive, and human-centered.”
As Nigeria seeks to place itself as a digital hub in Africa, technologists like Damilare Ajiboye characterize the rising technology of builders who aren’t solely writing code — however rewriting the continent’s tech narrative.
