The Chief Working Officer (COO) performs a pivotal function in shaping the expansion, effectivity, and sustainability of fintech firms.
Tasked with overseeing day-to-day operations, the COO ensures seamless coordination throughout vital departments resembling product growth, customer support, compliance, and expertise.
Their management transforms strategic imaginative and prescient into operational execution, enabling firms to thrive in aggressive markets.
In fintech, the COO is usually described because the operational heartbeat of the group. It is because they steadiness the twin challenges of innovation and regulation, driving disruptive expertise whereas making certain adherence to strict monetary oversight. Their potential to harmonize creativity with compliance is what makes them indispensable in such a dynamic trade.
Fintechs have continued to develop in Nigeria and Africa, attracting extra investments. In keeping with data compiled by Nairametrics Research, 80 African fintech startups raised over $661 million between January and June 2025.
The highest 10 fintech fundraisers alone accounted for greater than $470 million, up from $431 million in the identical interval final yr.
Senegal, Egypt, South Africa, Nigeria, and Ghana dominated the leaderboard, whereas the “Large 4” of Kenya, Nigeria, Egypt, and South Africa maintained their multi-year grip on the continent’s fintech capital flows, collectively securing 69.19% of whole funding.
West Africa emerged because the top-performing area, pulling in $298.5 million (45.1% of whole fintech funding). This was pushed largely by Senegal’s record-breaking $137 million debt deal and Nigeria’s $112 million haul—greater than double its H1 2024 determine.
Though some fintech companies have eradicated the COO function, significantly when not crammed by a co-founder, many main firms proceed to retain it, underscoring the strategic significance of operational management in scaling companies, navigating regulatory complexities, and sustaining long-term development.
Listed below are the COOs driving Nigeria’s fintech revolution in 2025.
Daniel Hegarty joined Kuda as Chief Working Officer in September 2024, bringing over a decade of expertise in technology-driven monetary techniques. Primarily based in London, he oversees Kuda’s international operations and performs a vital function in shaping the corporate’s future path.
Past his function at Kuda, Hegarty is the founding father of Communion, a platform designed to assist people construct monetary resilience and enhance their relationship with cash. His entrepreneurial background enhances his operational experience, positioning him as a flexible chief in fintech.
Based in 2019 by Babs Ogundeyi and Musty Mustapha, Kuda has grown right into a full-service digital financial institution working in Nigeria and the UK. With choices resembling zero upkeep charges, free transfers, and automatic financial savings, Kuda continues to redefine digital banking beneath Hegarty’s operational steering.
