Oyinkansola Badejo is a finance professional, digital operator, and emerging creator whose journey has been shaped by early independence, deep curiosity, and a refusal to wait for permission. From running a profitable hair service business as a teenager in university to working across fintech, asset management, and now as a revenue officer, her path reflects intentional self‑investment and steady compounding.
The Beginning
Oyinkansola’s relationship with money began early, when she entered the University of Benin, far from her parents in Lagos. The distance forced a hard reality: every small thing doesn’t require a call home and a wait. “I didn’t like that at all,” she explains. That discomfort planted the seed for independence.
By her second year, she acted. During a school break in Lagos, she learned wig and hair services, washing, colouring, changing wig caps, and repairs. Returning to campus, she launched a hair service business targeted at fellow students. What began with WhatsApp class group promotions quickly grew through word of mouth across hostels and faculties. Demand increased so much that she hired help.
She treated it like a brand: a name, Instagram and TikTok pages, and even branded nylon bags. Though unregistered due to a knowledge gap, the business was legitimate in execution. Between 2018 and 2020, she earned roughly ₦70,000–₦100,000 per month, a significant income for a student at the time. Her final job came symbolically on the day of her project defence, styling a coursemate’s wig for her own defence. After that, she pressed pause.
Finding Her Way into Fintech
After graduation, Oyinkansola returned to Lagos and briefly revived her hair business using Instagram leads while actively job hunting. Around this time, she completed a digital marketing course on Coursera through a scholarship, then joined a community called DigiClan. A simple introduction post as a fresh graduate opened her first door.
She landed a role at Blanche Communications, a PR and marketing agency, earning between ₦130,000 and ₦160,000 monthly. The role exposed her to high‑profile clients and major campaigns, including work connected to the Guinness World Record event handled by the agency. Crucially, Blanche assigned her to manage Baigewallet, a newly launched fintech savings and investment platform.
That responsibility changed everything. Managing Beige Wallet meant understanding the product from first principles, how savings plans worked, how interest was generated, and how the business made money. Her curiosity deepened. She began studying the asset management firm behind the product, reading about operations, assets, and financial structures. “That was my first real introduction into finance,” she says. “And I knew that was what I wanted to do.”
Choosing Finance
Oyinkansola didn’t study finance for her first degree. She studied English and Literature at UNIBEN. But she is vocal about her belief that finance is one of the most accessible career paths for curious people. “You don’t need to study it in school,” she often tells people. Certifications, experience, and genuine interest matter more.
While working, she began studying independently, sitting for professional exams and asking questions relentlessly. Her next goal was clear: she wanted exposure inside a proper asset management firm. That opportunity came through another community connection, a job opening at Vetiva Capital Management shared by someone she met through DigiClan.
Though she didn’t feel perfectly qualified when she read the role description in Vetiva’s Digital Business department, she applied anyway. The hiring process was long and intense, with four to five interview stages spread across nearly six months. At times, she doubted it would work out. But it did.
At Vetiva, she worked on digitising investment products, partnering with fintechs, supporting mutual fund distribution, and driving digital revenue. The role was demanding, but transformative. Compensation jumped by an estimated 200–300% from her previous role, and the exposure reshaped her confidence. Bonuses came as a shock, especially her first one, which she initially thought was a mistake. Vetiva also encouraged her next big commitment: pursuing the CFA.
She has since moved on from that role and joined the revenue team of a global fintech company focused on financial services. Her work centres on helping banks, fintechs, insurers, and lenders unlock more value from the company’s products. “If our customers make more money, we make more money,” she explains.
The cultural shift stood out immediately. “The culture is global standard,” she says. With teammates across continents, strong profit‑sharing, and a high‑trust environment, it set a new benchmark for what work could feel like.
The Unexpected Money Shocks
Some of Oyinkansola’s biggest money surprises didn’t come from salaries at all. They came from influence. In early 2025, she had fewer than 1,500 Twitter followers and rarely joined trending conversations. One day, she casually replied to a tweet comparing two savings platforms, offering clear, educational insight. The tweet went viral.
Brands began reaching out. She sent a rate card. They paid, no negotiation. “That was shocking,” she admits. Even more surprising was her first platform payout, which exceeded $1,000. It reframed her understanding of leverage, attention, and value.
Her consulting experiments reinforced the lesson. Starting at ₦50,000 per hour and later increasing to ₦100,000, she found that demand remained strong. Some months, weekend consulting alone out‑earned her salary.
Money, Investments, and What’s Next
Despite her growing income streams, Oyinkansola’s core investment philosophy is simple: invest in yourself first. Her CFA journey is one of her most extensive commitments, alongside a dedicated personal development budget.
Beyond that, she invests in mutual funds and the stock market, both in naira and in dollars. “If you’re in Nigeria, you should have at least one dollar investment if you can afford it,” she says. She prefers long‑term holds.
Looking ahead to 2026, her focus is on building scalable, passive income. Digital products, a paid community, and structured consulting are all in motion. A simple budget tracker she once built in under two hours has already been downloaded by over 7,000 people, proof of latent demand.
I’ve lived many lives, but one lesson ties them all together: money is only as powerful as its utility. Through my work, I share stories about money and create guides for Africans who want to get the best out of theirs.