Abiola Metilelu

MSc, MBA, FCE, FIHSD, FIMC, LLB (Hons) Law With Business (In-View)

Innovator I FortyUnder40Award Winner

Abiola Metilelu is a visionary entrepreneur, disruptive innovator, and enterprise strategy consultant with over 17 years of experience in banking, finance, entrepreneurship, and management consulting. Best known for founding PressPayNg, Africa’s leading education-focused fintech platform, Abiola has reshaped Africa’s education financing and financial inclusion sectors, driving systemic change and empowering African families to thrive. By democratizing access to education, he is laying the foundation for a more inclusive, sustainable future.

Abiola’s career is aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4: Quality Education, SDG 1: No Poverty, and SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth. His work focuses on scalable solutions that address systemic barriers to economic empowerment. As a changemaker, he aims to create lasting solutions that improve the quality of life for millions of African families. PressPayNg integrates micro-lending, savings, and insurance to make education affordable, serving over 300,000 users and generating more than $2 million in revenue. This innovative model helps to fund the future of Africa.

Abiola’s leadership roles have honed his expertise in financial planning, risk management, and systems optimization across diverse sectors. He holds a BSc in Economics, an MSc in Political Economy & Development Studies, and an MBA in Entrepreneurship, along with certifications as a Certified Management Specialist and Project Management Professional.

Abiola’s transformative work has earned him numerous accolades, including the FortyUnder40 Africa Award (2025), United Nations SDG Digital Game Changer Award (Top 20 Global Finalist, 2024), Africa’s Most Outstanding Developmental Innovator of the Decade, and the Sir Ahmadu Bello Leadership Award. These honors position him as a thought leader in financial inclusion and human capital development.

As a sought-after speaker, Abiola frequently discusses financial innovation, enterprise strategy, and inclusive growth at global forums. His work and philosophy, “Impact is the universal definition of success,” focus on building sustainable financial systems that drive economic growth, reduce inequality, and ensure no African youth is left behind due to financial constraints.