If you’ve ever tried to explain your job to a child, you know how much it forces you to simplify. Here’s how I’d describe what I do: I verify people’s documents before they open a Moniepoint account or upgrade their existing one. I make sure the documents are real, and I make sure they’re safe enough to allow people to move money around. 

My name is Ajibola Lawal, and I lead the KYC Operations team at Moniepoint. That’s Know Your Customer, by the way; rules, regulations, due diligence, and detective-level scrutiny. It’s not a job for the faint of heart. And trust me, every day in this role is a different kind of adventure. Here’s what that looks like:

From criminology to compliance 

The funny thing is, I never set out to work in tech. Once upon a time, I studied Criminology and Security Studies, dreaming of joining the Nigerian Police Force. I was a blue belt in judo and karate, an action-driven, body-first, brain-later type. 

But life, as always, had other plans.

After detours in real estate and a brief time as a personal assistant, I found myself at Moniepoint in 2021 as a level 1 WhatsApp customer support agent. Four years and a lot of growth later, I’m now the Team Lead for KYC Operations.

What KYC really means

KYC means “Know Your Customer,” but what it really means is to protect the organisation and our users. We’re the ones making sure bad actors don’t use Moniepoint to funnel stolen funds, finance fraud, or launder illicit wealth.

There are four levels to KYC:

• Customer Identification Program (CIP) – This involves getting the name, ID, date of birth, and address of a customer. 

• Customer Due Diligence (CDD) – This stage involves assessing risk. Is this person a PEP (politically exposed person)? Are they likely to be used as a pawn in some political chess game?

• Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD) – This stage is reserved for the high-risk customers. Here, we verify the source of wealth, monitor transactions, and ask hard questions. 

• Ongoing Monitoring – We monitor transactions in real-time to identify unusual activity at this stage. 
  

A typical day in the life of a KYC officer

By 8:30 AM, I’m at my desk. First, I check our CRM tool (JIRA). Then, I review unresolved tickets, monitor the merge queue, and check in on any glitches or updates that may have arisen overnight. In this line of work, staying on top of changes is key as policies can evolve quickly. For example, we might focus on electricity bills one week, then broaden the scope to include all utility bills the next. Flexibility is part of the job.

Then I check who’s on shift, meet with the product team (our council), and review high-profile walk-ins.

There are days of peace. And there are days when everything breaks at once, like glitches, BVN mismatches, and software bugs. When that happens, I strategise instead of panicking. Because in this job, being calm under fire is your secret weapon.

A successful day for me? No glitches. No escalation of wars. Just smooth operations and happy agents.

What KYC has forged in me 

I never imagined I’d become this… detailed and critical. KYC taught me scrutiny, critical thinking, emotional intelligence, and above all, caution. Every account could be a potential fraud risk until proven otherwise. I don’t trust by default. Instead, I verify.

I’ve also become the person who says, “Let’s not escalate this yet. Let's think a bit more. Let’s test a theory.” One time, I noticed that one of the software programs we were using wasn’t recognising NINs, even though the other software we used could. Most people wrote it off as a glitch. But I reached out to our contacts, triggered a review, and we discovered the issue. There was a misalignment in our verification pipeline. This discovery led to a product update, saved hundreds of tickets and kept things running smoothly.

What it takes to work in KYC

Not everyone survives in KYC. But those who do share some key traits:

• Critical thinking – You must see beyond the obvious.

• Emotional intelligence – You're dealing with humans, and trust me, no two humans are the same! You must have a way of dealing with each person and their unique traits. 

• Versatility – In KYC, policies are constantly changing. If you’re not adaptable, this job will chew you up and spit you out like a broken sword.

• Calm under pressure – Trust me, customers won’t wait for you to compose yourself.

And of course, knowing about AML regulations, data privacy laws, and CRM tools is non-negotiable. But beyond that? You need grit, patience, and a brain that doesn’t quit.

Final Thoughts 

I love what I do. I love the balance of logic and instinct, the power of protecting Moniepoint’s platform, and the thrill of piecing puzzles together daily. The same way no two accounts are ever the same is the same way no two days are ever alike.

If you would like to join the KYC world, jump in by checking out our careers page. The work? It's intense, but deeply rewarding. And if you ever get stuck, well… you know where to find me.