First things first, I’ve been at Moniepoint for 7 years. If you think that’s wild, I agree. The tech industry is fast-paced, and people usually stay for a bit and keep it moving. So what’s it like when you decide to stay for this long? Well, let’s start from the beginning.

Early days: code, culture, and gaming battles

throwback to our early gaming days

⁠When I joined Moniepoint, things moved fast. My first project was Moneytor, a banking solution for transfers, bill payments, and more. I also handled front-end development for some banks.

But beyond the work, the culture stood out to me. Gaming was a serious business. Yes, you read that right. Gaming. Mortal Kombat, FIFA—we played hard. It was the great equaliser, the thing that brought everyone together. I went up against Tosin, Chidum, and Solomon… and beat them all.

I probably should’ve let Tosin win, but I didn’t have common sense back then. Not like it mattered, as it never got in the way of our working relationships. That gaming culture reflected how Moniepoint worked—competitive, fast, but always fun. And it didn’t take long before I was thrown into some very serious projects.

The first big moment: getting noticed

One of my first real “level-up” moments came when we needed to present something to our client and had three to four days to do it. No pressure, right? 

Adrian sat down with me and explained what needed to be done. I got to work immediately and submitted it the very next day, way ahead of the deadline. It was needed in three days, but I finished it in one.

Tosin walked in, saw it, and went, “Wait… you’re done already?” He was shocked. He looked at Adrian, and they had some feedback, which I handled right there on the spot. And we kept things moving. That’s how we work: fast and efficient. 

Next, we were onboarding a new client, and they gave me the entire front end to translate. Tosin came by, clicking around and checking everything to ensure we were on track. I was working with Simpa on this project,  and he was trying to catch me slipping. He switched everything from web view to mobile view, and I was just watching as it all cascaded perfectly. My head was swelling at that point.

Soon, I was pulled into building our reconciliation system, a tool to ensure that no amount of money went unaccounted for. That was also when I got my first taste of product management.

An in-house career transition

Initially, I was focused purely on front-end development, but when we started working on reconciliation, I had to think beyond just code. Felix, our CTO, gave me two options. I could either stay in front-end or take on the role of both Technical Product Manager (TPM) and front-end engineer while we hire another front-end person. 

Of course, I took both. That’s when I started learning to think strategically, not just about features but also how the entire product worked.

Building loans to power our customers.

I worked on a few projects after this, but the next thing I’d like to talk about it building our loans product. The fist thing that occurs to people when they think about lonas is giving out money, and while that is part of it, there’s an entire system that needs to be built to support that core function.

Working on the loan product, my first assignment was to build software for field verification officers, who confirm customer details before approving loans. In Nigeria, addresses aren’t always straightforward, which can make customers difficult to track. We couldn’t just rely on a form. We needed to verify a few things:

• Does this business actually exist?

• Is this their real house?

• Who are their guarantors?

The system we built became so effective that it’s still used for customer account upgrades today. We were still primarily serving agents at this point, but Moniepoint soon transitioned to business banking.

My work on the loan product then evolved to building the second iteration, which became the foundation for what we have today. But this time, my role wasn’t just about execution; it was about leadership. I had to ensure that the engineering, product, and business teams were aligned, that deadlines were realistic, and that we weren’t blocking each other.

That’s when I learned that product management isn’t just about building; it’s about ensuring the right things are built in the right way, at the right time.

Final Thoughts: If Moniepoint Were a Game…

If Moniepoint were a video game, the main quest would be fighting fires. And me? I’d be a firefighter. Because no matter how much we grow, there’s always something new to fix, a new challenge to tackle, a new level to unlock. And that’s exactly what makes this journey worth it.

From gaming battles to product firefighting, my journey at Moniepoint has been one of constant learning, growth, and impact. If you’re looking for a place where you can build, learn, and level up—Moniepoint might just be the place for you.