In a twitter announcement on Monday, Olu Akanmu bid farewell to OPay Nigeria, culminating two years of tireless efforts to deepen financial inclusion in Nigeria. Under his visionary leadership, OPay witnessed remarkable growth during Nigeria’s cash crunch, thanks to effective distribution strategies and robust infrastructure.
Akanmu expressed heartfelt gratitude to his colleagues, ecosystem partners, and enablers for their dedication to advancing financial inclusion in Nigeria. Despite the significant strides made under his leadership, he recognized that more work remained to ensure no one was left behind in the digital financial revolution. He emphasized the importance of broader collaboration and public-private partnerships to extend the benefits of digital financial services to the completely excluded population, which represents approximately 45% of Nigerians.
As a Pharmacy graduate of the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), Olu Akanmu’s journey in the professional world started as a Marketing Manager/Regional Manager for Glaxo Nigeria. He later served as the Chief Operating Officer (Nigeria) for Population Services International (PSI), a global reproductive health charity, before venturing into the telecommunications sector with roles at MTN Nigeria Communications and Airtel Nigeria. Akanmu’s wealth of experience in the financial services sector included serving as Executive Director for Retail Banking at FCMB before becoming President of OPay-Nigeria in 2021.
During his tenure as CEO of OPay Nigeria, Akanmu led the company to significant growth amidst Nigeria’s cash crunch, primarily due to its effective distribution strategies and infrastructure. The company’s focus on leveraging digital solutions contributed to reducing the number of unbanked individuals and underserved segments of Nigeria’s population.
Following the announcement of his resignation, mixed reactions emerged from the public. Some expressed concern about their funds in OPay accounts, while others praised Akanmu for revolutionizing the financial industry with OPay’s services. Amidst the uncertainty, many hoped for continued stability and safety with OPay moving forward.
As Olu Akanmu concludes his chapter with OPay Nigeria, his dedication to financial inclusion and the potential of technology as an enabler leaves a lasting impact on the company and the broader Fintech industry in Nigeria.
