Building a Career in Technology: A Sit-Down with Ayoola Samagbeyi of 9jaPay, Former Head of Engineering at Kuda

In this chat with THISDAY, Ayoola Samagbeyi, Chief Technology Officer of 9jaPay and former Head of Engineering at Kuda, offers a rare, behind-the-scenes perspective on how some of Africa’s most successful fintech platforms are built. Drawing on more than a decade of experience architecting and scaling digital financial infrastructure across Nigeria, the United Kingdom, and the Middle East, Samagbeyi speaks candidly about the technical and leadership decisions required to scale fintech companies across jurisdictions, manage technology as a business driver rather than a cost centre, and build a resilient, long-term career in technology. Excerpts.

Ayoola, you’ve built and led engineering teams at some of Africa’s most ambitious fintech companies. How would you describe your journey so far?

My journey has been shaped by curiosity and problem-solving. I started out deeply technical, working in security and software engineering roles where the focus was on understanding how systems fail and how to make them more resilient.

Over time, I moved into leadership positions where the challenge expanded beyond code to include people, strategy, compliance, and business outcomes.

At Kuda, for instance, I went from building systems to leading teams responsible for platforms used by millions of people. Today at 9jaPay, the scope is even broader, thinking about cross-border infrastructure, regulatory alignment, and long-term scalability across multiple markets.

You’re now helping to build a UK–Nigeria fintech group. What makes this kind of cross-border setup technically complex?

Cross-border fintech is fundamentally about operating in multiple realities at once. The UK and Nigeria have very different regulatory expectations, infrastructure maturity levels, and user behaviours.

From a technical perspective, you’re designing systems that must be compliant in one of the world’s most tightly regulated financial markets, while also being flexible and resilient enough for emerging-market conditions. That means decisions around data residency, cloud architecture, redundancy, and security controls become more nuanced.

You can’t simply build once and deploy everywhere; you have to architect for variation while maintaining a unified core.

What technical principles guide how you approach building infrastructure for a UK–Nigeria fintech operation?

The first principle is modularity. Systems need to be designed so that regulatory or operational changes in one jurisdiction don’t break the entire platform. We also prioritise strong abstraction layers, especially around compliance, payments, and identity.

Another principle is observability. When you’re operating across borders, you need deep visibility into how systems behave in real time. Latency, failure patterns, and user behaviour can differ significantly by region.

Finally, security is non-negotiable. When you operate internationally, your attack surface increases, so security has to be foundational, not reactive.

How did your experience as Head of Engineering at Kuda shape your approach to fintech at scale?

Kuda was a formative experience because it showed me what scale really means. When you’re supporting millions of users and processing millions of transactions daily, small design decisions can have massive consequences.

At that level, engineering is no longer just about shipping features; it’s about reliability, cost efficiency, and trust.

I learned the importance of treating technology as a business function, not just a technical one. Decisions about infrastructure, automation, and architecture directly affect margins, customer experience, and regulatory confidence. That mindset carries into everything I do now.

Many fintechs struggle with cost as they scale. How do you think about cost management in a cross-border fintech group?

Cost discipline is critical, especially in today’s economic climate. One mistake many startups make is overbuilding too early by replicating architectures designed for much larger companies.

In a UK–Nigeria setup, cost management requires understanding where performance truly matters and where efficiency can be optimised. We focus on usage-based scaling, automation, and continuous review of infrastructure spend.

Cloud costs, for example, should reflect real demand, not worst-case assumptions. Treating technology as part of the P&L forces teams to be more deliberate and commercially aware.

What role does security play when building fintech infrastructure across regions?

Security is central, especially when you’re operating across jurisdictions. Different regions have different threat profiles. In Nigeria, for instance, social engineering and fraud patterns may dominate, while in the UK, there’s intense scrutiny around data protection and compliance.

The challenge is building a unified security posture that addresses both. My background in security helps because I approach systems adversarially, assuming they will be tested and attacked. That mindset influences everything from access control and monitoring to incident response planning. In fintech, trust is the product, and security underpins that trust.

How does working across the UK and Nigeria influence your leadership style?

It forces humility and adaptability. Teams operate in different contexts, and what works in one market may not work in another. As a leader, you have to listen carefully and avoid imposing assumptions.

Communication becomes more important because misalignment across borders can quickly escalate into operational risk. I also try to empower local teams while maintaining shared standards. The goal is not centralised control, but coordinated execution. That balance is essential in any cross-border technology organisation.

From a career perspective, what lessons has your journey taught you about building longevity in technology?

One major lesson is that technical depth matters, but adaptability matters even more. Technology changes constantly, so the ability to learn and unlearn is critical. Another lesson is that leadership is not about titles; it’s about responsibility. As you progress, your impact comes from enabling others and making sound decisions under uncertainty. Finally, understanding the business context is essential. Engineers who understand how their work affects customers, revenue, and risk tend to grow faster and have more influence over time.

What advice would you give to engineers who aspire to work on global fintech platforms?

First, build strong fundamentals, including software design, systems thinking, and security awareness. Those skills travel well across markets.

Second, expose yourself to different environments if you can. Working across regions broadens your perspective and makes you more effective.

Third, don’t shy away from responsibility. Volunteer for complex problems and learn how to communicate your ideas clearly.

Finally, remember that fintech is about trust. The best engineers in this space understand that they’re not just building software; they’re building financial infrastructure people rely on daily.

Looking ahead, what excites you most about building a UK–Nigeria fintech group?

What excites me is the opportunity to build bridges, technically and economically. A well-architected UK–Nigeria fintech group can enable smoother payments, better access to financial services, and stronger connections between markets.

From a technical standpoint, it’s a chance to build systems that are resilient, compliant, and scalable across very different environments. From a career perspective, it’s deeply fulfilling to work on infrastructure that has a real impact on people’s lives. That’s ultimately what keeps me motivated.