Africa has many problems to solve, and innovators like Temitope Omotolani are creating solutions to solve needs across sectors. At Crowdyvest, Omotolani is making it easier for Nigerians to save, invest, and access funding through fintech solutions, solving Nigeria’s financial gap needs.
Financial exclusion in Nigeria remains a pressing challenge. Twenty-six per cent of adults still lack access to formal financial services, with rural communities being hit the hardest: thirty-seven per cent of rural Nigerians are unbanked, compared to seventeen per cent in urban areas. Meanwhile, SMEs struggle with a financing gap of over N617.3 billion annually, and only five per cent have access to sufficient funding to scale. This gap in financial access is a barrier to economic growth and prosperity.
Entrepreneurs like Temitope Omotolani are at the forefront of bridging this gap by pioneering financial solutions that empower individuals and businesses across Nigeria.
Solving Nigeria’s financing problems
Omotolani’s entrepreneurial path began with ventures such as Gifted Hands Makeup Services and Finifini Cleaning Services, but her impact took a drastic turn in 2016 when she co-founded Farmcrowdy.
Farmcrowdy was Nigeria’s first digital agricultural platform, connecting small-scale farmers with investors to provide them with the necessary capital to expand their operations. This model empowered farmers, improved food production and created employment opportunities across the agricultural value chain.
At Farmcrowdy, Temitope Omotolani played a key role as Chief Operations Officer (COO), overseeing a network of over 25,000 farmers across 14 states. The startup’s mission was to connect small-scale farmers with investors through a crowdfunding model that provided much-needed capital. By doing so, Farmcrowdy boosted food production, generated employment, and improved livelihoods across the agricultural value chain.
Crowdyvest, a fintech beyond agriculture
In 2018, Omotolani stepped down from her role at Farmcrowdy. Just a year later, she co-founded Crowdyvest, a fintech platform designed to provide accessible savings and investment opportunities to everyday Nigerians.
Crowdyvest is a Nigerian-based financial technology platform focused on creating financial solutions for individuals and organisations committed to long-term growth and economic freedom. Crowdyvest stands out for its impact-driven financial solutions, aligning its operations with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Within its first eight months, the platform expanded its user base from 50,000 to 140,000 customers, facilitating transactions exceeding $35 million.
The platform provides a suite of financial products aimed at democratising wealth-building. It features a portfolio of alternative investment options, including commodity-specific projects and discretionary plans offering returns of up to 25% per annum. Additionally, it has an impact-driven funding opportunity called HyperPlan, with potential returns of up to 21%.
Additionally, Crowdyvest provides sector-specific investment opportunities yielding up to 25% returns. They offer automated savings products with competitive interest rates and a digital wallet that features seamless fund-sharing options, providing up to 3% interest per annum.
Through Crowdyvest, Nigerians have the opportunity to invest in impactful agriculture, real estate, transportation, technology, and telecommunications projects.
