Who Is Tayo Oviosu?
Tayo Oviosu is a Nigerian-American entrepreneur and the founder and Group CEO of Paga, a Nigerian mobile payments company. He was born Eyitayo David Oviosu on 10 September 1977 in Lagos State.
Wikipedia describes Paga as a company focused on digitizing cash in emerging economies. Nigeria is its first market. Oviosu also co-founded Kairos Angels, an angel investment club, according to Crunchbase.
What Are the Key Facts About Tayo Oviosu?
The table below lists 8 widely reported facts about Tayo Oviosu. The first column names each attribute. The second column gives the reported detail.
| Attribute | Reported Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name | Eyitayo David Oviosu |
| Date of birth | 10 September 1977 |
| Age as of 24 September 2026 | 49 years |
| Birthplace | Lagos State, Nigeria |
| Nationality | Nigerian-American |
| Education | BSc in Electrical Engineering, University of Southern California; MBA, Stanford Graduate School of Business |
| Spouse | Affiong Williams (married 2014) |
| Current role | Group CEO, Paga |
Where Was Tayo Oviosu Born and Educated?
Tayo Oviosu was born in Lagos State, Nigeria, on 10 September 1977. Nairametrics reports that he spent his early years in Nigeria and left for the United States in 1994. Leaders Biography states that he was 16 at the time and that he has Edo State roots (Ora Local Government Area) and a Kogi mother.
He earned a BSc in Electrical Engineering, cum laude, from the University of Southern California. He later earned an MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business, which Leaders Biography dates to 2005.
What Did Tayo Oviosu Do Before Paga?
Oviosu worked in corporate development and private equity before founding Paga. Crunchbase lists him as a Manager of Corporate Development at Cisco Systems in San Jose, California. He then became Vice-President at Travant Capital Partners, a private equity fund in West Africa. Leaders Biography dates the Cisco role to 2005 to 2008 and the Travant role to 2008 to 2009.
How Did Tayo Oviosu Found Paga?
Tayo Oviosu founded Paga in 2009 to make the mobile phone the primary tool for electronic payments. Startup Tips Daily reports that he ran the first six months on personal savings, with friends and family working below market rates. Investments from former bosses and business associates followed.
Oviosu wrote in 2016 that Paga did not start real market operations until after its Series A in 2012. That was 3 years after he began working on it full time. TechCabal reports that the company has raised $45 million from investors including the Global Innovation Fund, Omidyar Network, and Adlevo Capital.
What Has Paga Achieved Under Tayo Oviosu?
Paga has reached 5 measurable milestones under his leadership:
- Reached 5 million users by August 2016
- Received a NIBSS award for the highest transaction count on the Global Mobile Regulatory and Monitoring Platform in 2017, its third year in a row
- Processed ₦17.1 trillion ($12 billion) in transaction value in 2025, a 96% increase from 2024
- Launched US banking services for the African diaspora in September 2025 through a partnership with Regent Bank
- Became PayPal’s local partner in Nigeria in January 2026
African Exponent reports that Paga serves 29 million users. In September 2026, Nairametrics reported that Oviosu said the company handles about $1.5 billion in monthly transaction volume and is valued in the hundreds of millions of dollars.
What Awards Has Tayo Oviosu Won?
Oviosu and Paga have received 4 major recognitions:
- CNBC named Oviosu Entrepreneur of the Year, West Africa, in 2014
- The African Leadership Network named Paga the outstanding growing company in Africa in 2015
- CB Insights placed Paga on its Fintech 250 list three times, most recently in 2022
- The Financial Times and Statista named Paga among Africa’s fastest-growing companies for the third consecutive year in May 2025
What Are the 8 Key Milestones in Tayo Oviosu’s Career?
The table below lists 8 milestones in chronological order. The first column gives the date. The second column gives the milestone.
| Date | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 1998 | Earns a BSc in Electrical Engineering from USC |
| 2005 | Earns an MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business |
| 2009 | Founds Paga |
| 2012 | Closes Paga’s Series A |
| 2014 | Named CNBC Entrepreneur of the Year, West Africa |
| 2016 | Paga reaches 5 million users |
| 2022 | Paga makes the Fintech 250 list for the third time |
| April 2026 | Becomes Group CEO of Paga |
What Is Tayo Oviosu Doing in 2026?
Tayo Oviosu became Group CEO of Paga in April 2026 after 17 years leading Paga Nigeria. TechCabal reports that Opeyemi Oyinloye is Acting CEO of Paga Nigeria, pending Central Bank of Nigeria approval. It was the first time someone other than Oviosu led Paga’s largest market.
At the group level, Oviosu leads Paga Labs and international expansion. The focus areas are stablecoins, blockchain, and AI-enabled commerce. He chairs the Paga Nigeria board. He described the change as the end of Paga’s first phase and the start of a second. He also said Paga plans to raise new funding.
People Also Ask About Tayo Oviosu
How Old Is Tayo Oviosu?
Tayo Oviosu is 49 years old as of September 2026, based on a 10 September 1977 birth date.
Who Founded Paga?
Tayo Oviosu founded Paga in 2009.
Who Is Tayo Oviosu’s Wife?
Wikipedia lists Tayo Oviosu’s spouse as Affiong Williams. They married in 2014. Forbes listed her among Africa’s Most Promising Entrepreneurs in 2015.
Where Did Tayo Oviosu Study?
Tayo Oviosu studied electrical engineering at the University of Southern California and earned an MBA at Stanford Graduate School of Business.
What Is Tayo Oviosu’s Net Worth?
No verified figure exists for his net worth. Leaders Biography estimates $10 million to $50 million, and the source does not publish its method.
What Does the Tayo Oviosu Biography Show About His Career?
The Tayo Oviosu biography shows a Lagos-born engineer and MBA who built Nigeria’s leading mobile money service. He worked at Cisco and Travant Capital Partners before founding Paga in 2009. He closed the Series A in 2012 and reached 5 million users in 2016. He earned recognition from CNBC in 2014 and CB Insights in 2022. In April 2026, he became Group CEO of Paga to lead expansion into new African markets, stablecoins, and AI-enabled commerce.