In Nigeria’s ever-evolving tech landscape, Adetoyese Kola-Balogun stands out not just as a builder, but as a principled leader shaping systems that matter. From engineering scalable platforms to championing integrity in execution, his work cuts across fintech, enterprise infrastructure, and social impact. In this exclusive conversation, he reflects on leading innovation from the backend to the boardroom, staying grounded amid hype, and the values that guide his work, among other things.
Tell us a bit about your background and how you got into tech?
I’ve always been drawn to solving real-world problems with systems thinking. I started my journey as a software engineer, gradually moving from writing code to leading teams and building out technical strategies for scale. Over the years, I’ve worked across fintech and enterprise infrastructure, from architecting backend systems to leading product delivery on platforms used by thousands. I’m a builder at heart, and I’ve always been more focused on meaningful execution than hype.
What are some highlights of the work you’ve led so far?
One highlight was leading the development of Blessmi, a crowdfunding platform designed to help Nigerians raise funds for good causes. I joined at an early stage and helped architect and build the core infrastructure. Within months of launch, the platform raised over ₦100 million for social campaigns and was even adopted by a major political party for its presidential fundraising effort. That kind of traction, in a short time, made it clear that well-executed digital tools can drive large-scale impact when rooted in local context.
I’ve also worked at enterprise level, most recently contributing to the launch of robust financial systems in securities finance, where I was responsible for several architectural decisions now in use by global financial institutions.
What principles guide the kind of work you take on?
I’m very deliberate about the things I say yes to. For me, three things matter: innovation that actually solves a problem, infrastructure that scales sustainably, and integrity in how we work and build. It’s easy to get carried away by trends in tech, but I try to stay grounded, building with empathy, thinking about edge cases, and making sure users aren’t just impressed, but actually empowered.
Nigeria’s fintech space has grown rapidly. Where do you see the gaps?
We’ve made huge progress, no doubt. But there are still core challenges, digital identity, onboarding friction, fragmented APIs, infrastructure resilience, these things hold us back quietly but powerfully. I’ve written about these issues in a few op-eds because I think it’s important we talk about the “unsexy” problems too, not just the funding rounds and launches.
If we want long-term progress, we need more collaboration, across startups, regulators, telcos, and banks, and we need to design for the real Nigeria, not just the urban tech-savvy bubble.
What does leadership mean to you in this space?
It’s not just about being in front. It’s about holding the line when no one’s watching. It means mentoring younger engineers, being honest in trade-offs, and making decisions that align with your values, even when they don’t make headlines. For me, it also means using your voice to shape discourse, especially in areas where silence breeds inefficiency or exclusion.
What’s next for you?
I’m focused on solving operational inefficiencies in property and finance, particularly in how everyday users interact with complex systems. I believe the next big leap in tech, especially in emerging markets, won’t come from hype, it’ll come from doing the basics exceptionally well. My goal is to keep building platforms that combine thoughtful infrastructure with user-centric design, and hopefully, make a dent in the way people experience financial and operational services at scale.
Any advice for younger engineers or builders coming up behind you?
Get obsessed with fundamentals. Learn to write, not just code. Stay curious. And don’t be afraid to start small, just make sure you’re solving something real. Also, don’t underestimate the power of patience. Building something meaningful takes time, and what you build is only as strong as the clarity of your thinking behind it.
You’ve worked across both African and European markets. What insights have you gained from operating in both environments?
One of the biggest lessons is that no market is truly “developed” or “emerging” in every sense. The UK has structure, regulation, and a strong tech culture, but it also has legacy systems that can slow down innovation. Nigeria has speed, hunger, and flexibility, but often lacks foundational infrastructure. Working across both has taught me to balance structure with scrappiness. Good technology isn’t just about tools, it’s about understanding people, context, and constraints.
You’ve led both product development and engineering teams. What’s the difference between the two?
Product is about clarity, knowing what to build and why. Engineering is about precision, making it scalable, efficient, and reliable. But where they really come together is in execution. I’ve learned that good engineers are good communicators, and great product people are grounded in technical feasibility. The best outcomes come when both speak the same language, and that’s something I always try to foster on any team I lead.
Are you currently working on any new solutions that you’re excited about?
Yes, I’ve been working with a small team on a new property technology platform for the UK market. The goal is to simplify renting and rental payments, particularly for letting agents and tenants. It’s a space filled with legacy systems and inefficient workflows, and we’re building something that brings clarity, automation, and compliance under one roof. It’s still early, but the opportunity to simplify operations at scale is something I find really exciting.
What’s your view on thought leadership in tech? Is it more than just writing articles?
Absolutely. Thought leadership, for me, is about shaping the way others think, whether it’s through writing, mentoring, architecture decisions, or even what you choose not to build. I write a lot because it helps me think clearly, but the real goal is to provoke useful conversations. If something I write helps a startup founder avoid a misstep or gives a policymaker a new lens, that’s real thought leadership. It’s not about being loud, it’s about being useful.
What kind of legacy do you hope to leave in the tech ecosystem?
I hope people say I brought clarity to complex problems. That I helped others think better, build better, and treat people better in the process. I’ve always believed that how we build is just as important as what we build. The legacy I want is in the engineers I mentored, the systems I left behind that still work, and the values that carried through even after I stepped away.
