Tunde Kehinde

Nigerian fintech pioneer who created Africa's first digital payment system for informal markets

Tunde Kehinde is the co-founder and CEO of Paga, a groundbreaking fintech company launched in 2008 that revolutionized financial inclusion across Africa. His vision addressed the challenges faced by Nigeria's unbanked population, which represented over 40% of its adult population at the time. Paga's mobile payment platform enabled low-income individuals to access banking services through their basic feature phones - a critical innovation in regions with limited internet infrastructure.

By 2020, Paga had processed over $1 billion in transactions annually, serving 12 million users across Nigeria. Kehinde's model inspired similar initiatives in Kenya and Ghana. He developed the 'Paga Wallet' system that integrated with airtime top-ups, a common financial tool in Africa, creating a frictionless payment ecosystem. His partnership with the Nigerian government's e-Naira project demonstrated his commitment to national digital transformation.

Recipient of the World Economic Forum's Technology Pioneer award in 2013, Kehinde's work has been studied at Harvard Business School. His TED Talk "How Nigeria's informal economy went digital" highlights his impact on Africa's financial future.