Olajide Abiola, a well-known figure in the financial technology industry, has recently made the decision to step down from his position as the Co-founder and CEO of KiaKia. Known for his incredible leadership and innovative approach to providing personal loans through AI-powered technology, Olajide has made a significant impact on the financial market with his contributions to KiaKia.
Through his leadership, KiaKia has become a leading provider of direct personal loans at flexible rates, as well as a platform that matches borrowers with individual or corporate lenders at mutually agreed rates. Olajide’s vision and commitment to delivering top-quality financial services to consumers have earned him a reputation as a respected industry leader.
While Olajide is stepping down from his role at KiaKia as the CEO, he is not leaving the company altogether, he will remain on the board and continue to support the company.
Making the announcement today, May 9, 2023, he wrote, “It is with a bittersweet emotion of gratitude and pride that I announce my decision to step down as CEO of Kiakia after serving for almost eight years. Over the last 18 months, I have been more focused on new ventures in manufacturing, retail, and real estate and hospitality, leading to my decreased involvement in the day-to-day operations of Kiakia and I believe it is time to pass on the baton to new leaders who will drive Kiakia to even greater heights.
During my tenure as CEO, I am proud to have onboarded over 300,000 users and facilitated over 13 billion Naira in loan transactions to small business owners through our peer-to-peer loaning program. I am particularly pleased to note that not a single lender lost money during this period, a testament to our commitment to providing reliable financial solutions to our users. It has been an incredible journey building Kiakia with Chiemeziem, fondly called my Alobam, along with Ime Udoh, and I am so proud of everything we have accomplished together. We have created a company that provides access to credit to Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises with huge growth potentials. I am particularly thankful to Individuals and corporates, including banks, who have entrusted us with funds that enabled us to carry out the task of helping a lot of MSMEs differentiate and grow.
Effective immediately, my co-founder, Chiemeziem Anyadike, will be taking over as the new CEO of Kiakia. I am confident that he will lead the company with the same passion, vision, and values that we have always upheld. Additionally, Mikhail Adeniyi will be taking over as the COO of the company, having demonstrated tremendous dedication and commitment to our mission and values.
Although I am stepping down as CEO, I will remain on the board and continue to support the company in any way that I can. However, my primary focus will be on new projects and ventures in manufacturing, retail, and real estate and hospitality, where I will be overseeing a number of exciting projects.
In closing, I want to reiterate my gratitude to each and every individual at Kiakia for their hard work and dedication to the company. It has been an honour to work alongside such a talented and committed team. I am confident that Kiakia will continue to grow and thrive under the leadership of Chiemeziem and Mikhail. I am excited about the future of Kiakia, and I am confident that together we will achieve even greater success in the years to come.”
Olajide Abiola is currently the CEO and co-founder of Smart Residences Limited, a company focused on providing innovative real estate solutions to consumers.
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