Today we bring to you the success story of two Nigerian entrepreneurs that were able to find solution to online payment problems in Nigeria.
By building a reliable online payment system that allows Nigerian merchants to receive funds from customers anywhere in the world ,as long as they are using mastercard,visa or verve card.
They are the co-founders of PAYSTACK, EZRA OLUBI and SHOLA AKINDIPE.
PAYSTACK was founded in 2015 but was launched in January, 2016.
Over the years, PAYSTACK, there company grew to be able to process 15 percent of online transactions in Nigeria.
So let's get to know more about them:
EZRA OLUBI,the co- founder and cheif technical officer of paystack was born on November 12, 1986 in badan, oyo state capital.
He got his first introduction to computers when a family friend came with computer to stay in their house so that he could get closer to school.
So then he started programming while we was in secondary school.
After he completed his secondary education, he proceeded to BABCOCK UNIVERSITY, ogun state for his degree program in computer science.
SHOLA AKINDIPE, the co-founder and CEO of PAYSTACK was born in lagos, Nigeria's centre of excellence.
He attended ST. GREGORY COLLEGE for his secondary education.
After completing his secondary education,he proceeded to BABCOCK UNIVERSITY, ogun state for a degree program in computer science.
How they first met each other in the university:
Both of them were classmates in BABCOCK UNIVERSITY, studying computer science.
They met because of their shared interest for programming.
While in the university, In their department there used to be software exhibition during second semesters ,where they both exhibited individually.
Later on, in their final year they collaborated on exhibitions they made that was how they became friends.
They graduated from BABCOCK UNIVERSITY in 2006 with a degree in computer science.
There working experience after graduating from the university:
SHOLA AKINDIPE, he worked as a management trainee at Heineken for about 2 years and then he left.
He said and I quote: " and then I left because I just thought I am a maker. I should be making things".
From then he spent about 5 years developing an open source collaboration platform software, which he called, PRECURIO.
Precurio was used by over 200,000 organizations and downloaded in over 6 languages.
Then banks in Nigeria started reaching out to him to help them build software . He built software for about three banks.
EZRA OLUBI, had over a 5 years working experience in developing web and mobile base IT solutions.
He worked as an IT administrator at BUSINESS MANAGEMENT CONSULTANT LIMITED.
And then worked as a web application developer at NORTH OCEAN LOGISTICS AND SOLUTIONS.
Also worked as director of magic at ALEXANDRA HARING LTD.
How they founded PAYSTACK together:
With the working experience SHOLA had with the bank he became more aware of online payment problems,
so he decided to work on it together with his friend EZRA,
who already was interested in solving the online payment problems in Nigeria.
So they worked together and figured it out.
They founded PAYSTACK 2015 but it was launched in January.
Recently, in October 2020, one of the leading online payment system in the world, STRIPE acquired paystack for 200 MILLION DOLLARS.
Even after the acquisition by STRIPE,
shola disclosed that " paystack operations would remain independent and there will be no disruption of service as a result of the acquisition".
Hope it was inspiring
WAS IT FUN GETTING TO KNOW ABOUT THEM?
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