In a world where borders divide but ambition unites, Ola Oyetayo is redrawing the map of money – one bold transaction at a time. From the quiet pulse of code to the roar of global trade, Verto isn’t just moving currency – it is moving the future.
By Staff Writer
In the soft glow of a London dawn, Ola Oyetayo strides into Verto’s sleek, minimalist office – his silhouette framed by floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook the city’s financial district. It is a far cry from the bustling markets of Lagos where his story began. Yet, the same spark of curiosity and purpose that drew him to finance in the UK now fuels a revolution in cross-border payments across Africa and beyond.
A lifelong optimist with a purpose
Ola likens himself to a caravan leader, charting paths through uncharted terrain.
“I’m a lifelong optimist,” he says, leaning back in his chair, “always open to new ideas.”
A Nigerian who has called the UK home for nearly two decades, he started his career crunching numbers as an accountant in London. But the steady beat of paychecks and office politics left him restless.
Then came the phone calls – from friends in Nairobi, Accra, and Kampala – struggling to pay suppliers abroad. Hidden fees, opaque exchange rates, endless delays. A maze. For Ola, it wasn’t just a problem to solve; it was a mission. Partnering with his tech-savvy friend Anthony Oduu, he launched Verto in late 2018, determined to dismantle the barriers that kept emerging-market businesses on the financial sidelines.
Building bridges, not barriers
Verto is not a one-size-fits-all remittance app. It is a Business-to-Business powerhouse, tailored for companies whose lifeblood flows through international supply chains. Picture a coffee exporter in Addis Ababa paying for equipment in Shanghai – and receiving payment for roasted beans in euros – with the same ease as ordering pizza online. That is Verto’s promise.
“The individual remittance space is crowded,” Ola explains, “but the business angle, helping a Nairobi firm pay a Lagos supplier seamlessly, was wide open.”
He outlines the four great friction points in African cross-border trade: scant liquidity in local currencies, volatile price discovery, slow settlement times, and patchwork regulations. Verto’s tech-enabled platform tackles each head on, knitting together 49 currencies and 179 countries into a single, fluid tapestry.
Dancing to Africa’s own beat
As global trade stutters under geopolitical strain, Africa is composing its own rhythm—a melody of digital pipes and local currencies.
“We’re changing the tune,” says Ola, voice resonant.
“Transacting in your own currency is foundational to intra-African trade.”
Under the banner of the African Continental Free Trade Area, Verto is already operational in Nigeria, South Africa, and Kenya, with Tanzanian operations on the horizon. Its growth has been nothing short of meteoric: tripling transaction volumes each year, expanding from a two-person startup to a 143-strong, multi-national team.
The power of partnership
Ola’s journey was not solitary. Verto’s global reach is woven from partnerships with banks, regulators, and fintech innovators.
“No business is an island,” he reminds.
By allying with trusted financial institutions and leveraging cutting-edge payment rails, Verto punches well above its weight – collecting, converting, and holding capital across continents.
Trials by fire
The path has not been without its rocky patches. In the early days, Ola knocked on the doors of former employers – only to be laughed out as Africa was still deemed “high risk.” Today, regulatory complexity, cybersecurity, and scaling the team keep his adrenaline pumping.
“These challenges keep the job interesting,” he admits with a grin.
Accolades and ambitions
At the 2025 Milken Institute Global Conference, Verto’s vision earned the Grand Prize in the Milken-Motsepe Prize in Fintech, a recognition of its transformative impact on small businesses in frontier markets.
Yet, Ola insists, “This is just the overture.”
Over the next five years, he envisions Verto as the primary non-bank financial institution in emerging markets – and a public listing on a major exchange.
“I’d love to be the first African founder with a fintech like ours publicly traded in the U.S.,” he confides.
Beyond the boardroom
When he is not reshaping finance, Ola is the ringmaster of a rather different circus: chasing after his two toddlers – an energetic four-year-old and a fearless two-year-old. Golf clubs and bestsellers offer rare moments of calm; travel feeds his insatiable curiosity about global affairs.
“I’m intensely curious about world events,” he says, tucking a newspaper under his arm.
“I’ve always loved debating geopolitics – now I just keep my opinions to myself.”
A new chapter in African trade
As wires replace borders and data streams outpace shipping routes, Verto stands at the vanguard of a post-dollar economy. Its code is more than lines on a screen; it’s the blueprint for Africa’s financial future. And at its helm, Ola Oyetayo remains that steadfast optimist, charting courses through uncertainty with the same open mind and resolute purpose that launched Verto’s journey.
“You can’t talk about Africa’s growth if the money can’t move,” he says. “If we want to de-risk African trade, we need African solutions; and we need them now.”
And with that, he steps onto the trading floor, ready to conduct the continent’s next great symphony of commerce.
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