Growth and Digital BP, Opay
It is 2020, and the world feels completely different. The COVID-19 lockdown has changed the way we live, work, and even think. Here in Nigeria, one of the most significant changes is occurring in how people manage their finances.
Before now, most Nigerians still depended heavily on traditional banks for almost everything, paying bills, transferring money, withdrawing cash, or sending funds to family and friends. It was normal to walk into a bank, stand in a long queue, wait for the teller, and fill out forms just to make a simple transaction.
But with the lockdown, everything about that routine is being challenged. Suddenly, people can’t just go into banks the way they used to. There are restrictions, long waiting lines outside, and rules about standing apart. For many people, it’s stressful and unsafe.
So naturally, attention is shifting towards something new: Financial Technology.
A Shift That’s Happening in Real Time
Fintech companies are slowly changing how Nigerians think about money. What used to feel like an option for only tech-savvy people or the younger generation is now becoming part of everyday life.
People are realising that they can transfer money, pay electricity bills, subscribe for data, or even send funds to someone in another city, all from their phones. What used to sound like a luxury is now becoming a necessity.
The lockdown has made people more open-minded. Even those who once said “I don’t trust online banking” are now trying it for the first time. Necessity is changing habits faster than any marketing campaign could.
Working in the fintech space right now, I see these changes happening every day. Customers are asking more questions, downloading more apps, and learning how to use digital tools. They want to understand how it works, and once they see how fast and reliable it can be, they rarely go back to standing in a queue.
Being Part of the Growth
For me, this shift is not just something I’m watching from the outside; it’s something I’m part of. I currently work with Opay, one of the fintech startups leading this change in Nigeria. Opay originally started as a ride-hailing platform, helping people move easily across cities. But over time, it expanded into payments, offering users an easier way to send and receive money.
Now, Opay is growing fast and becoming a name people trust for digital transactions. As a Growth and Digital Marketing Business Partner for the southwest region, my focus is on helping more people discover and use the platform. It’s exciting to see how much of a difference technology can make, from small traders who no longer have to handle so much cash to everyday users who can now make payments from the comfort of their homes.
Being part of this journey feels rewarding. I get to see, firsthand, how fintech is changing lifestyles and making financial inclusion more real for Nigerians. It’s not just about apps and campaigns; it’s about watching technology truly solve everyday problems.
Every day, Nigerians Are Going Digital
What’s most interesting is that this change is not just happening in big cities like Lagos or Abuja. It’s spreading across smaller towns too. Street vendors, shop owners, drivers, and people who used to rely completely on cash are now learning to accept digital payments.
Many Nigerians are discovering how easy it is to move money online. They’re starting to trust that these systems can work for them. And as more people use them, fintech platforms are also improving, becoming more reliable, faster, and easier to understand.
I think this is just the beginning. Right now, we’re at the point where online banking is no longer a strange idea; it’s becoming normal. The pandemic has simply accelerated something that was already growing beneath the surface.
Competition and Innovation
Another thing that’s happening is competition. More fintech startups are coming up, all trying to solve the same problem: how to make payments and banking easier for everyday Nigerians.
This is not just about money transfers anymore. Companies are offering savings plans, investment options, and even small business tools through their apps. Everyone is trying to reach the millions of Nigerians who have phones but don’t have full access to traditional banking.
Competition is good. It’s what pushes the industry forward. It makes products better, prices fairer, and security stronger. People now have choices. If one app doesn’t work well, there are many others to try. That freedom is something new for many Nigerians, and it’s helping to build trust in digital finance.
Learning and Adapting
As someone working in this space, I find it exciting but also humbling. We’re learning in real time. Every week, there’s something new, a change in user behaviour, a product update, a new startup entering the market.
It’s also interesting to see how people talk about online banking now. On social media, there are daily conversations about different fintech apps, what works, what doesn’t, which one sends money faster, and which one has lower charges. Nigerians are becoming more informed customers, and that’s a big sign of progress.
Of course, there are still challenges like network issues, poor internet in some areas, and people who remain cautious about digital payments. But the overall direction is clear. Nigeria is moving towards a digital financial system, one where access isn’t limited by location or time of day.
Thinking About the Future
Sometimes I catch myself wondering what the next five or ten years will look like. If so much can change in just a few months, what will happen when digital banking becomes completely normal?
Will we still need to visit bank branches at all? Or will everything move online, from savings to loans to investments?
It’s hard to say for sure, but one thing feels certain: we’re not going back to how things were before.
This moment feels like a turning point. It’s showing Nigerians that we can trust technology, that we can handle money digitally, and that financial systems don’t always have to be traditional to be safe.
We are witnessing the growth of a new mindset; one that values speed, convenience, and independence. Fintech isn’t just about apps; it’s about freedom. It’s about giving people control over their own money in a way that fits the world we live in now.
A New Kind of Normal
Right now, Nigeria is at a crossroads. The lockdown is forcing change, but it’s also opening doors to a better, more connected future. The rise of fintech is not just a reaction to the pandemic; it’s the beginning of a new era of financial inclusion.
No one can predict everything that’s going to happen next, but the signs are clear. More Nigerians are embracing online banking, more startups are building new solutions, and more people are finding confidence in technology.
As someone watching all of this unfold, I can’t help but feel optimistic. Change is never easy, but sometimes it takes a moment like this to push us forward.
Right now, fintech in Nigeria is not just rising, it’s redefining what’s possible.