From Cross River Farms to Global Tech: How Nigerian Entrepreneur John Oji is Championing Digital Inclusion for Small Businesses

Mary Nnah

In Nigeria’s bustling yet fragmented tech landscape, few stories capture both grit and global relevance like that of John Oji. Born and raised in Calabar, John witnessed how poor infrastructure, unemployment, and widening education gaps kept communities locked out of digital opportunities. Rather than accept these barriers, he made it his mission to bridge them one innovation at a time.

At the end of 2020, as COVID restrictions eased, John co-founded Agrocart, a digital platform empowering smallholder farmers. By forging partnerships and driving financial inclusion, Agrocart became a lifeline for rural families. Farmers who once survived on subsistence expanded acreage from two to five acres, boosting yields across 50 hectares cumulatively. With simple tools, like USSD codes linking farmers to finance and localized tips, Agrocart ensured accessibility even for those unfamiliar with smartphones. Connecting farmers to outgrower schemes guaranteed seedlings and offtakers, de-risking the value chain and encouraging lending agencies to invest. This growth created seasonal jobs in farming and logistics, proving that when rural communities gain digital access, entire local economies are uplifted.

Alongside scaling Agrocart in 2021, John joined Decagon in EdTech, where his leadership left a lasting mark. He designed and led the Placement Readiness Program, preparing software engineers not just technically but holistically. Through project simulations and cultural-fit interviews, John reduced the number of unplaced developers by 75%. Over three cohorts, more than 500 engineers engaged with him through mentoring, agile facilitation, and Scrum Master-led projects, ultimately securing local and global roles. For Nigeria’s tech talent pipeline, this was not training, it was transformation at scale.

John’s impact expanded when he joined Bunce in November 2022, a fintech and customer-engagement startup. As Product Manager, he led solutions that reached over 500,000 customers monthly, improving retention and communication across industries from fintech to health tech. His ability to translate vision into scalable products once again drove measurable growth.
Perhaps his most personal venture is BankNBook, a startup digitizing scheduling, payments, and customer engagement for small businesses. To John, BankNBook is not just technology but a mission: ensuring digital access is not reserved for large corporations but available to everyone.

Whether it’s a barber in Manchester, a startup in Lagos, or a farmer in Cross River, BankNBook is his vehicle to level the playing field and inspire Nigerian students arriving in the UK to see their environment as a launchpad for global impact.
John’s journey has not gone unnoticed. He received the Chester Difference Award, was featured in Deeside Newspaper, and was among the 10 finalists awarded business grant funding from Santander Bank through the University of Chester Ventures platform. Through mentorship at Hack51 and Psifon in Calabar, he has guided dozens of young people, some into global tech careers, others into entrepreneurial ventures opening pathways once thought impossible. His speaking engagements across Nigeria and the UK further amplify his thought leadership, connecting local communities with global opportunities.

John draws inspiration from African entrepreneurs who turned grit into greatness: Femi Otedola, who began selling diesel from a truck before building a billion-dollar conglomerate; Strive Masiyiwa, who fought regulatory battles in Zimbabwe before establishing Econet; and the founders of Grey Digital Bank, who scaled cross-border fintech into a global force. These examples fuel his conviction that every obstacle carries opportunity.

Today, as AI and automation reshape industries, John Oji stands poised to drive global digital transformation. From farms to startups, classrooms to communities, his work proves that innovation is not only about startups but about impact: transforming lives, creating jobs, and digitizing economies. For youth in Nigeria, the UK, and beyond, his message is clear: your background does not define your destiny. And for the world, his career demonstrates that Africa’s digital future is already here,and it is unstoppable.