Hi, I'm Taiwo Obasan, and my story isn't just about building companies—it's about building people, making mistakes (the expensive kind), and figuring out how real change happens in Africa's tech scene.
I started my first venture with a second-hand printer at sixteen, bartered my way through college, and somehow ended up in boardrooms, scaling fintech and leading teams from scrappy MVPs to profitable exits. I've been the founder nervously pitching VCs, then the operator wrestling with product pivots, and now the investor who backs bold ideas (and sometimes caffeine-fueled all-nighters).
If you're a founder, I've been in your shoes—celebrating the wins, obsessing over the losses, learning the difference between great pitches and great businesses. As an investor, I put my experience to work—offering not just capital, but the roadmap, the network, and honest feedback you'll actually use.
What Excites Me
- •Companies with grit, not ego.
- •Ideas that solve real problems (bonus points if they're boring but make money).
- •Founders who laugh at their own scars—and get back up, smarter every time.
Why Work With Me
Been There, Built That: I've founded multiple startups, scaled to profitable exits, and learned what founders actually need from investors—empathy, speed, and tough love when it matters.
Full-Stack Expertise: My background bridges product, engineering, leadership, and finance. I know how to evaluate technical talent, product-market fit, and business models—because I've built and run every part myself.
Operator's Edge: Investors hire me because I've personally navigated zero-to-one, solved real operational bottlenecks, and understand how to turn chaos into growth. Boardrooms value someone who knows the trenches.
Cross-Sector, Cross-Stage: From fintech and blockchain to e-commerce and logistics, I've invested and operated across Africa's fastest-growing markets. I spot opportunities others miss by seeing patterns across verticals.
Rigorous Yet Relatable: Due diligence, deal sourcing, negotiation—I handle the numbers and the people, from first intro to post-exit reporting. My references highlight results and my ability to bring teams together.
Mentor & Community Builder: I've advised 1,500+ SMEs, trained hundreds of founders, and mentored the next generation of African operators—because real impact means building people, not just portfolios.
Track Record That Speaks:
- •3 Exits (Fundall, BankEngine, ChurchRemit)
- •$15M+ in direct client revenue impact
- •Board/advisory roles in startups and scale-ups
- •Led digital transformations for market leaders
Modern, Global Perspective: I combine local market expertise with global best practices, using data, tech, and storytelling to drive decisions.
A Decade Building, Scaling, and Investing
From printing press operator at 16 to VC investor—a journey spanning fintech, engineering, and emerging tech across Africa and global markets
Member of the core investments team, actively sourcing deals, conducting due diligence, shaping investment theses, and driving execution of early-stage investments across Africa, MENA, Europe, and North America.
Key Achievements:
- ✓Source and screen 100+ deals annually across fintech, blockchain, e-commerce, logistics, and healthtech
- ✓Lead technical due diligence: reviewing architecture, assessing technical team capabilities, evaluating product-market fit
- ✓Support investment committee with comprehensive memos, market analyses, competitive landscape reports, and financial assessments
- ✓Provide hands-on portfolio support: product strategy, go-to-market refinement, operational efficiency, cross-border expansion
- ✓Leverage decade of founder/operator experience to provide value-add support beyond capital
Global nonprofit community of 500+ emerging investment professionals across 15+ countries, collectively shaping the future of Africa's investment and entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Key Achievements:
- ✓Knowledge-sharing and professional development across VC, PE, impact investing, and investment advisory
- ✓Cross-border collaboration with early-career investment professionals
- ✓Contributing to Africa's investment ecosystem development
Founded ChurchRemit to solve cross-border payment challenges for religious organizations and diaspora communities.
Key Achievements:
- ✓Built fintech solution for faith-based organizations
- ✓Acquired by strategic partner (March 2025)
- ✓Developed compliance framework for religious remittances
- ✓Scaled across multiple markets in under 6 months
Founded and led Fundall from ideation to acquisition by Emerging Africa Group in under 2 years. Post-acquisition, transitioned to COO and Chief Product Officer overseeing operations, product strategy, and digital transformation.
Key Achievements:
- ✓Led company from zero to acquisition in 21 months (one of the fastest acquisitions in Nigerian fintech)
- ✓Grew to 100,000+ customers with $3M+ in monthly transactions
- ✓Transaction count growth: 575.15% in first year post-acquisition
- ✓User base growth: 214.59% with 100% organic marketing
- ✓Won B2B Payment App of the Year (Business Day BOFI Awards 2021) and Nigeria Innovations Award for Fintech (B2B)
- ✓Recognized as one of 20 African Challenger Brands 2020/2021 by FourthCanvas
- ✓Acquired Treasures Microfinance Bank to strengthen licensing and regulatory standing
- ✓Responsible for digital transformation of group's traditional finance businesses post-acquisition
Founded Tabb to help traditional businesses, financial services, and microfinance institutions leverage technology to scale their operations, marketing, and growth.
Key Achievements:
- ✓Empowered 1,500+ SMEs through growth advisory, digitization, and fundraising support
- ✓Advised clients who collectively raised over $10 million in funding
- ✓Built flagship products: BankEngine (acquired), Servvy (active), ChurchRemit (acquired)
- ✓Delivered services across strategy, product development, digitization, branding, board training, and fundraising
- ✓Provided growth, sales, and go-to-market advisory services to traditional businesses and financial institutions
- ✓Automated back-office operations for multiple microfinance banks
Part of the founding team that built one of Nigeria's leading wealth management platforms. Led growth, community building, digital marketing, and product research.
Key Achievements:
- ✓Average user growth of 6% week-on-week sustained over 18 months
- ✓Over 70,000 combined app (iOS & Android) downloads since first launch in 2018
- ✓Built the largest FinTech community with 300+ brand ambassadors across 20+ Nigerian cities
- ✓Reduced CAC (Customer Acquisition Cost) by 50% in first month through grassroots community building
- ✓Built first cross-platform data analytics for growth and data-oriented decision making, leading to 56% drop in monthly churn rate
- ✓Increased leads by 100% in first month through SEO optimization
- ✓Started product research and user stories to build user-centric features
- ✓Part of team that structured first introduction of mutual funds (systematic investment plan) into FinTech apps
- ✓Cowrywise reached $1.5M in AUM in 11th month and Top 50 Global Emerging Companies by Inc. Magazine
Part of founding team building an EdTech platform helping graduates earn workplace skills and bridging the entry-level skill gap in finance and management consulting.
Key Achievements:
- ✓Trained 10,000+ graduates now working at 100+ tier-1 global and local finance & management consulting firms
- ✓Launched 4 new courses with 50% increase in revenue and market share
- ✓Scaled operations to all major tertiary institutions across Nigeria
- ✓Achieved 85%+ placement rate for graduates in competitive roles
- ✓Led branding, website, product development, IT support, and social media strategy
Led digital marketing strategy and digital transformation (product development, product management, and digital strategy) for the group's real estate, credit, agriculture, venture capital, and finance subsidiaries.
Key Achievements:
- ✓Developed and executed comprehensive digital transformation roadmap
- ✓Built PropTech platforms for property management and sales
- ✓Implemented digital marketing strategies across all subsidiaries
- ✓Improved operational efficiency through process automation
Led digital transformation across traditional businesses spanning real estate, credit, agriculture, venture capital, and finance subsidiaries.
Key Achievements:
- ✓Increased group turnover to over $5 million in annual sales
- ✓Reduced turnover period for real estate properties by 80% through digitization
- ✓Increased investment inflow by 400% through digital marketing and platform development
- ✓Built and launched digital platforms for property management, booking, and sales
- ✓Digitized finance operations and expanded into PropTech sector
- ✓Automated credit and lending subsidiary operations with retail application development
Provided expert guidance on digitalization strategies and tech ventures for credit and finance operations.
Key Achievements:
- ✓Developed digitalization roadmap and implemented digital solutions
- ✓Advised on integrating digital tools to enhance customer experience
- ✓Recommended AI-powered chatbot, reducing customer service response times by 30%
- ✓Delivered training programs on digitalization strategies
- ✓Executed digital marketing campaign, increasing website traffic by 20%
- ✓Provided fundraising advisory and preparatory consultancy
Led complete brand transformation and digitization for real estate investment firm.
Key Achievements:
- ✓Design research and message design: evaluated key business messaging and branding intent
- ✓Created comprehensive brand identity: logo design, brand system/behavior design, brand collateral
- ✓Developed social media branding and website design
- ✓Established digital presence and marketing strategy
Led acquisition of Treasures Microfinance Bank to leverage license for Fundall operations.
Key Achievements:
- ✓Managed complete acquisition process for strategic licensing
- ✓Led CBN (Central Bank of Nigeria) compliance efforts
- ✓Integrated microfinance bank operations with Fundall platform
- ✓Achieved 100% regulatory compliance
Founded printing and publishing business at age 16 after high school graduation. Specialized in offset printing, signage, packaging, publishing, and branding.
Key Achievements:
- ✓Started as apprentice and grew firm from 50,000g to 150,000g paper capacity per month
- ✓Expanded to three locations: Ago Iwoye (Ogun State), Yaba (Lagos State), and Nyanya (FCT Abuja)
- ✓Employed 50+ team members across all locations
- ✓Worked with several notable brands in publishing, printing, and branding
- ✓Built business from scratch with no external funding
Led sales and marketing of edible raw materials to FMCG companies, then pioneered packaged agrofoods unit development.
Key Achievements:
- ✓Increased sales from 10 tonnes per week to 50 tonnes per week in first quarter
- ✓Expanded sales to FMCG companies from Lagos to Jos, Kaduna, and Ogun State
- ✓Pioneered packaged agrofoods unit: produced 5,000 units of 25kg packaged local rice (Ofada)
- ✓Onboarded three superstores and 40 local retail shops
- ✓Integrated with Morning Custards, expanding their marketing reach into Ijebu & Remo Division
- ✓Achieved $70,000 in monthly recurring revenue
Write weekly newsletters and commentary about African politics, history, economics, business, entrepreneurship, tech, and digitalization.
Key Achievements:
- ✓Grew to 5,000 subscribers within two months
- ✓Average daily email open rate of 30%
- ✓Average total traffic of 500+ individual readers every week
- ✓Featured as guest analyst on Channels, AIT, Smooth FM, and other media platforms
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