One of Nigeria’s longest-running fintech founders is stepping away from daily operations as the company prepares for a bigger play beyond its home market.
After 17 years leading Paga’s Nigeria business, Tayo Oviosu is moving into a group-level role, shifting focus to expansion, new markets, and emerging technologies.
Opeyemi Oyinloye has been named Acting CEO of Paga Nigeria, pending regulatory approval, marking the first time someone else will run the company’s core market.
The move signals something deeper than a leadership change. Paga is repositioning itself from a Nigeria-focused payments company into a broader financial infrastructure player across Africa and beyond.
Oviosu will now focus on scaling the company’s technology, exploring areas like AI, stablecoins, and cross-border payments, while the Nigeria business continues under a new operational lead.
The timing isn’t random. Paga processed over ₦17 trillion in transactions in 2025, showing strong growth in its core market.
What’s happening here is familiar across the ecosystem. As fintech companies grow, founders are stepping out of day-to-day operations to focus on expansion and long-term strategy.
It’s less about stepping back and more about shifting position.
The real test now is execution. Scaling beyond one market is where many companies stall, and this next phase will show whether Paga can move from being a strong local player to a true cross-border financial platform.
