Odunayo Eweniyi is one of Nigeria’s most remarkable tech entrepreneurs, social activists, and ecosystem enablers. As the co-founder and Chief Operations Officer of PiggyVest—Nigeria’s largest digital savings and micro-investment platform—she has transformed how Nigerians manage money. Beyond her fintech innovation, Odunayo’s deep commitment to social justice and gender equality has positioned her as a formidable voice for women in Africa’s tech and entrepreneurial ecosystems. Her career, shaped by academic excellence and fierce resilience, demonstrates that building wealth and equity can go hand in hand.
The Foundations: A Childhood of Excellence and Vision
Born in Abeokuta, Ogun State, to a family of academics—both parents being professors—Odunayo Eweniyi was raised in a home that valued discipline, education, and integrity. Her Yoruba heritage and Christian upbringing provided a foundation of ethical consciousness that would later define her lifestyle. She is from a family that fostered intellectual curiosity and a deep sense of responsibility.
She graduated with a first-class degree in Computer Engineering from Covenant University in 2013, where she distinguished herself among her peers. But Odunayo’s pursuit of excellence didn’t stop there. In 2018, she earned a Full Stack Web Development certification from Free Code Camp, expanding her technical skills. Between 2020 and 2022, she went on to earn a Master’s in Finance (Banking) from SOAS, University of London—showing her continued dedication to deepening her knowledge in both tech and finance.
Building PiggyVest: Tech for Everyday People
Odunayo’s entrepreneurial journey began shortly after university, when she co-founded PushCV—a platform designed to connect job seekers with employers. But it was in 2016, with the launch of PiggyVest (originally Piggybank.ng), that she made her boldest move yet. Along with co-founders Somto Ifezue and Joshua Chibueze, she built a platform that allowed everyday Nigerians to automate savings—an innovation born out of the simple idea of helping people maintain discipline in their financial habits.
From just 53,000 users in 2018, PiggyVest has grown to serve over 5 million Nigerians today, with billions of naira in saved funds. The platform offers multiple saving and investment options—from fixed deposits to group savings—making wealth creation accessible to young Nigerians and low-to-middle-income earners. Odunayo, as COO, has played a crucial role in strategy, operations, and user education.
This success, however, didn’t come without challenges. In the early days, the company grappled with resource constraints, investor skepticism, and the need to educate a digital-savvy but financially cautious population. But Odunayo’s strategic grit and operational discipline, along with lessons learned from mentors like Olumide Soyombo, helped steer the company toward sustainable growth.
Expanding Horizons: Advocacy and Investment in Women
Odunayo’s entrepreneurial journey began right after university with the launch of PushCV, a platform connecting job seekers with verified employers. It provided not just job opportunities but also tools such as CV rewriting and online training to enhance employability, demonstrating her early commitment to solving systemic challenges.
In 2021, Odunayo co-founded FirstCheck Africa, a fund aimed at closing the gender funding gap in African technology ecosystems. FirstCheck focuses on supporting women-led startups at the pre-seed and seed stages, offering them both funding and mentorship. This venture reflects her commitment to addressing structural inequalities and empowering women entrepreneurs. Through these ventures, Odunayo champions a model of tech entrepreneurship that centers equity, access, and systemic change.
Beyond fintech, Odunayo’s legacy is deeply embedded in the fight for gender equity in Nigeria. In 2020, she co-founded the Feminist Coalition, a collective of young Nigerian women working to champion equality and justice. The group became globally recognized during the #EndSARS movement, where they organized emergency relief for protesters, including legal representation, food, shelter, and medical care. Odunayo emerged as one of the key faces of the movement, drawing attention from global media and human rights organizations.
Her work during End SARS went beyond logistics; it was a rallying cry for youth-led social accountability in Nigeria. She helped build a funding system that was transparent, efficient, and digital—an embodiment of how her tech background intersects with social justice.
Mentorship, Discipline, and Tough Love: Lessons from the Journey
Odunayo’s entrepreneurial journey has been shaped not only by inspiration but also by accountability. As noted in accounts from early investors like Olumide Soyombo, she and her co-founders were not immune to the common pitfalls of startup life. When PiggyVest received its first $50,000 investment, the team’s initial mismanagement of salaries prompted a stern rebuke from Soyombo, who emphasized the importance of sacrifice and delayed gratification.
Rather than fold under the pressure, Odunayo took these lessons in stride—applying them to operational excellence, better decision-making, and a culture of accountability. These values have become core to PiggyVest’s growth story and Odunayo’s leadership style.
She, too, has paid it forward—serving as a mentor to younger tech founders, especially women, helping them navigate the volatile terrain of funding, operations, and public scrutiny. And from her experience she could share her insight for those interested in the tech field, that:
“If you are going to succeed in tech, you are going to have to be an anything person at the beginning. Social media marketing, product management; all of these things are not things that you would expect to be taught directly academically. You need to improve yourself. How fast you learn really determines how far you go, it’s not a matter of who graduated with first class anymore.”
Odunayo’s Ecosystem Contributions
Through PiggyVest, FirstCheck Africa, PushCV, and the Feminist Coalition, Odunayo’s contributions span four key pillars:
- Financial Empowerment: PiggyVest has democratized savings and investments, enabling millions to build financial stability.
- Employment and Skills Development: PushCV helped bridge the employability gap among Nigerian graduates.
- Gender Equity: FirstCheck Africa and Feminist Coalition have reshaped narratives around women’s participation in tech and governance.
- Civic Engagement: Her role during the End SARS protests exemplified responsible digital mobilization for national reform.
In each of these initiatives, her role goes beyond being a founder—she is an architect of a more inclusive, conscious, and tech-enabled society.
Recognitions and Global Impact
Odunayo Eweniyi’s brilliance and impact have not gone unnoticed. She has received several international accolades, including:
- Forbes Africa 30 Under 30 (Technology category, 2019)
- TIME100 Next (2021), honoring her contributions to tech and activism
- Bloomberg 50 (2020), for her global business influence
- Forbes Woman Africa Technology and Innovation Award (2022)
- Quartz Africa Innovators (2019)
- World Women in Fintech Power List (2017)
- Future Awards Africa Prize in Technology (2018)
Her influence extends beyond business and advocacy. She has been featured in international publications such as Vogue, The New York Times, and Elle, where her story continues to inspire young women to pursue both ambition and impact.
Odunayo’s Voice and Vision
Odunayo once stated,
“We’re not just building tech. We’re building systems that allow people to dream again—women, young people, the underserved.”
This statement captures the ethos behind everything she does. Her vision is not merely one of success but of transformation. Whether through code, policy, or protest, she channels her skills into lifting others—especially the marginalized—into visibility and viability.
Her story reminds us that Africa’s future is not just digital—it’s feminist, inclusive, and boldly ambitious.
Conclusion: A Legacy in Motion
Odunayo Eweniyi exemplifies the intersection of technology, equity, and leadership. From pioneering savings solutions through PiggyVest to advocating for justice during End SARS, and from investing in women-led startups to amplifying Nigerian voices on global platforms, her journey is one of unrelenting purpose.
She is not just building companies—she is building confidence, community, and change. In a world where impact is often separated from profit, Odunayo stands as proof that the two can coexist—and even thrive together.
Her story continues to unfold, but her legacy is already shaping a new generation of African entrepreneurs and changemakers who are not only solving problems but are also rewriting the rules.