Simisola Haastrup was recently invited to the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) to share insights on Detty December and the increasingly important role remittance companies play in shaping the economies of Lagos and Nigeria at large.
Speaking on the morning show, she highlighted how Fintech companies like LemFi are enabling seamless cross-border payments, making it easier for Nigerians in the diaspora to support loved ones, fund businesses, buy Nigerian goods and services, and actively participate in the local economy, particularly during peak periods like Detty December.
According to Simisola who spoke to Nigeria’s national Tv on the 29th of December,
“Detty December is more than just a festive season, it is a powerful economic driver. But for Nigeria to fully harness moments like this and remain economically ready for the future, we must build payment systems holistically. It’s not enough to focus on what users see; the back end is the engine that powers trust, efficiency, and scale. If we want to attract global spending and diaspora inflows, we must audit our processes and do things right.”
Her remarks underscore a major shift in how money moves during the festive season. Gone are the days when visitors had to carry bundles of cash simply because they were returning home often putting their safety at risk.
Today, secure cross-border payment solutions are accelerating the move toward a cashless economy while enabling people to support families, invest in local businesses, boost tourism, and contribute meaningfully to Nigeria’s broader economic growth.
Simisola is the Growth Marketing Lead at LemFi UK, where she drives brand growth, user acquisition, and market visibility across the United Kingdom.
Through strategic partnerships with influential UK-based communities such as NIUK, MASANG, and other African-led networks, she has played a key role in expanding LemFi’s reach and trust, contributing significantly to the company’s multi-million-dollar growth.
Beyond her corporate role, Simisola is deeply committed to supporting young people in tech. She is passionate about exposing young people to the breadth of opportunities within the tech ecosystem, encouraging them to build digital skills, explore diverse career paths, and stay ahead of emerging trends in an ever-evolving technological landscape.
This commitment has led her to speak at several schools and institutions across both the UK and Nigeria. Most notably, at Northumbria University, Newcastle, Simisola was invited as a guest speaker at an impactful Black History Month Careers Workshop, where she shared practical, real-world insights from her own journey.
Alongside other accomplished professionals, she offered students guidance on building careers in tech, marketing, and the global fintech space, leaving attendees inspired by her story, achievements, and the clear, actionable pathways she outlined for building future-ready careers.
Beyond speaking and mentorship, Simisola is also passionate about supporting early-stage startups. One such company is Ikubari, a tech and AI-driven platform focused on bridging the gap between content creators, visual storytellers, and users.
Simisola played a key role in shaping Ikubari’s growth and marketing strategy, support that helped the startup gain acceptance into the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Accelerator Program, a globally recognised initiative that provides early-stage companies with cloud credits, technical support, mentorship, and access to AWS infrastructure to accelerate innovation and scale.
Her impact further extends to grassroots mentorship. Simisola actively mentors students at SEBOL High School in Ibadan, introducing them to technology in practical, engaging ways. Through this work, she continues to inspire young people to view technology as a powerful pathway to opportunity, creativity, and global relevance.
In recognition of her contributions to the tech and marketing ecosystem, Simisola Haastrup is a recipient of the Marketing Tech Leader of the Year 2025 award from the Nigerian tech and Innovation award and the Digital Marketing Award at the Lagos Entrepreneurs Awards. These honours underscore her impact as a growth leader, mentor, and advocate for innovation across borders.
