Ope Oyinloye Appointed Nigeria CEO as Oviosu Becomes Paga Group CEO

Fintech firm Paga has announced a significant leadership overhaul, elevating its founder, Tayo Oviosu, to the role of Group CEO, while appointing a new CEO to oversee operations in Nigeria. The changes were confirmed by Oviosu in a corporate announcement shared on his X account Tuesday.

In his new capacity, Oviosu will also serve as Executive Chairman of Paga Group’s Board and Non-Executive Chairman of Paga Nigeria, reflecting a broader focus on strategic growth and expansion into new markets.

As part of the restructure, Ope Oyinloye has been named Group Chief Operating Officer and CEO of Paga Nigeria. Oyinloye, who has spent over seven years at Paga, will lead operational execution across the company’s core business lines, particularly in Nigeria, the firm’s largest market.

Co-founder Jay Alabraba will transition to a role concentrating on special projects and market expansion, signalling the company’s ambitions to scale into new geographies and explore innovative financial technologies. “My focus going forward shifts to driving our expansion into new territories and introducing new technologies via Paga Labs, including stablecoins, crypto, and AI,” Oviosu said.

Paga recently made headlines with its renewed partnership with global payments platform PayPal, enabling Nigerian users to link their PayPal accounts to Paga wallets and receive funds directly—functionality previously unavailable due to historical restrictions.

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Since its inception, Paga has processed N14 trillion in transactions over 15 years, created roughly 1,000 direct jobs, and indirectly supported over 100,000 jobs through its agent network. The company now also provides platform-as-a-service infrastructure to 150 businesses, highlighting its expanding influence in Nigeria’s fintech ecosystem.

The leadership changes underscore Paga’s commitment to operational efficiency, technological innovation, and market growth as mobile money adoption continues to rise in Nigeria. Data from the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement Systems (NIBSS) shows mobile money operators, including Paga, Opay, and Palmpay, processed N71.5 trillion between January and December 2024, reflecting the sector’s growing significance.

With Oviosu at the helm of the group and Oyinloye managing local operations, Paga is poised to consolidate its leadership in Nigeria’s mobile financial services market while exploring opportunities beyond its borders.