The surprising twist was that the customers who received the cards did not utilize them for the intended purpose, which was e-commerce. They were instead employed for a variety of objectives such as budgetary control, utility payments, and savings. The business also noticed that the cards were more popular among young individuals who wished to restrict their spending habits. Because the cards were independent of their bank accounts, they could easily put money on the card for the week.
The team behind the e-commerce platform realized at this point that it was now dealing with two distinct businesses and needed to optimize its procedures. This resulted in the establishment of OjirehPrime Financial Services in early 2019.
But, according to Idoko, his new firm had a conundrum: while OjirehPrime was a fintech company, it needed to know which part of fintech it was producing solutions for. This was also a time when there were no digital banks in Nigeria to learn from. The firm was eventually modeled after a digital bank in the United Kingdom with a similar background to OjirehPrime.
Idoko became homeless during this period as well. "One of my favorite memories is sleeping outside for four to five months in 2017 and 2018 when we were at the peak of trying to fine-tune our product." I was sleeping on the side of the road. If you're familiar with Admiralty Way, I believe there's a club there. I took advantage of the fact that it was a crowded place. I'll finish work in my suit and tie, appearing all corporate, and then go to the location across the street at night.
"I pull my suit inside out, wear my trouser inside out, put my bag and laptop under a tree, and sleep off," he explained. His expression is suddenly contemplative.
The company was barely making enough money to pay its employees and keep their office premises. The office had to relocate from one location to another. The firm had three employees who, like their CEO, had distinct housing concerns. The difference was that they were not sleeping outside. Idoko said he never divulged where he slept.
"At Jakande, there was this unfinished building, and I noticed that most of the agberos (touts) slept there." I just walked into sleep. I'm at the Ajah Market public restroom at 4 a.m. I'll shower and put on my clothes. I was carrying a brown laptop bag. I took all of my clothing to a dry cleaner in Thomas Estate and assured Ajah that every day I would find a way to come and pick up the items that I would wear the next day.
I'll be wearing a suit for two days, but I'll bring two shirts. The clothes are spotless, and they hide everything else. I had my toothpaste and toothbrush in the same bag. "I find a place to sleep," Idoko explained.
The purchase of a microfinance bank, Solid Alliance Microfinance Bank, was a watershed moment for the organization. It was able to do this by gathering funds from investors who gambled on the company's enthusiastic desire.
Aside from the microfinance bank license that Solid Alliance already had, the acquisition increased the number of OjirehPrime subscribers from 40,000 to 80,000. The money also aided in the release of the company's mobile app. In 2022, the app had over 800,000 downloads.
OjirehPrime is now based in the United Kingdom, a move facilitated by the British government. According to Idoko, the decision was made largely to position OjirehPrime for the future. The objective of the firm is to provide a worldwide banking service for African Gen Zs. It has also seen statistics indicating that, as a result of increasing population growth, Nigeria and Africa would play a crucial role in the world economy by 2050.
