Mobolaji Bayagbon is a Strategic Partnerships | Sales Leader | Business Analyst | Digital Payment Enthusiast & SaaS expert. She is presently the Partnership and Strategic Manager at Pelfer & Nathan Consulting Limited; Nigeria-based digital financial services consulting firm
As a digital payment technology enthusiast, Mobolaji Bayagbon has extensive expertise in the sales of digital payment solutions to diverse sectors ranging from Financial and Other Financial Institutions, Capital Market Operatives, Insurance, Pensions and Government Agencies.
She is adept at managing customer expectations, improving product experience and contributing to new or bespoke product development. She has over a decade of experience in business analysis, sales development and implementation based on market intelligence in fintech.
Bayagbon has garnered a lot of experiences working with Stanbic IBTC as a Customer Relationship Manager; Relationship Manger and later the Commercial Sales Lead at the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System PLC (NIBSS).
In January 2021 she moved to OPay as the International Merchant Acquiring & Partnership. Before November 2021 she had risen to the position of leading OPay’s Strategic Partnerships involving financial institutions and public sector.
A graduate of Economics (BSc) at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife (Nigeria) and Master’s in Finance and Investment from the University of Greenwich, Mobolaji Bayagbon has demonstrated strong business development competencies covering lead generation, deals conversion and customer retention.
In this interview, she shared her experience working in the Financial Technology (FinTech) space:
TE: Nice to meet you. Kindly share your experience working in the Fintech space:
Mobolaji Bayagbon: I have over nine (9) years expertise in digital transformation, strategic sales & partnership, relationship management, business development and product management within the financial technology sector. I was part of the team that successfully inaugurated the Electronic Dividend Mandate Management System (e-DMMS) in Nigeria.
The solution leverages Bank Verification Number (BVN) with the aim of uniquely identifying investors in Nigeria Capital Market and improve dividend payment process from paper-based warrants to electronic dividend payments.
This change was necessary to build investors’ confidence in the Nigeria Capital Markets, provide a centralized and trusted database of all shareholders and dividend mandates. I have gained vast knowledge on industry portals or national projects within the Nigerian capital markets through my direct engagements with the Institute of Capital Market Registrars (ICMR), all Stockbroking Firms, all Deposit Money Banks, Registrars, and the Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC) in the country.
Also, I have worked closely with Central Securities Depositories to clean up databases and automate overall operational processes to achieve industry best practice of Direct Cash Settlement (DCS) which curbs the unethical practices of Stockbrokers.
These unethical practices eroded investors’ confidence in the Nigerian capital market, discouraging people from investing. However, with the implementation of the DSC, proceeds of shares sold are credited directly into the investor’s bank account, thus promoting trust, and growing the Market.
I have also worked with Other Financial Institutions (OFIs) including licenced microfinance banks, mortgage banks, mobile money operators, payment service banks etc., to develop and automate cost efficient payment processes through partnerships with technology companies, deposit money banks and other fintech companies.
This have resulted in over 500 microfinance banks having access to cheaper digital solutions, automations, and efficient processes.
I have also been privileged to work extensively with start-ups to develop payment solutions that have successfully beat market expectations resulting in higher revenue and increased market share as well has orchestrated lasting partnerships to give better visibility to these start-ups.
TE: How do you see yourself in the Fintech space?
Mobolaji Bayagbon: I see myself as a Strategic Digital Transformation Expert in the digital technology space with experience working with financial and non-financial organisations, government parastatals, payment & technology start-ups.
TE: What is/are the new project(s) you are pursuing?
Mobolaji Bayagbon: Currently, I’m working with a group of experts on a unified credit score solution that leverages data from financial and non-financial sources.
This solution will revolutionize the lending space and give borrowers an incentive to access loans and pay as at when due, a fundamental deficiency in the Nigerian lending space leading to the high bad debt portfolios of lenders.
TE: Thanks for your time.
Mobolaji Bayagbon: Thank you!
Weldone my big sis.