Between 2020 and 2023, civil servants in Nigeria remained significantly underserved in terms of formal credit access, despite being one of the most financially stable segments of the population. Formal borrowing rates across the country were extremely low less than 5% of adults accessed credit through regulated channels largely due to poor credit infrastructure, cumbersome application processes, and digital exclusion among older populations. Most civil servants, especially those over 45, are not digitally native and often lack access to smartphones or reliable internet, making app-based financial tools impractical. Recognizing this gap, the Nigerian government launched the National Consumer Credit Scheme in 2023, beginning with civil servants.
Omon Eni, Product Manager at Wave, is emerging as a leading force in bridging this gap. With a deep understanding of financial inclusion and product innovation, Omon is helping reshape how underserved populations, especially non-digitally native civil servants interact with digital finance.
Recognizing the unique constraints facing this demographic, she led the development and launch of Wave’s first low-code USSD tool, a secure, user-friendly lending platform accessible via simple dial codes. This tool enables government workers and aged professionals to apply for and receive loan decisions in under 10 minutes, without requiring smartphones or internet access. As a respected thought leader, Omon brings both empathy and strategic insight to the table. Her work is a testament to the power of human-centered design in building financial products that truly serve the people who need them most.
Wave Africa, the regional arm of a UK-headquartered fintech, is on a mission to help people gain easy, low-barrier access to money. Since launch, the platform has grown steadily to serve over 12,000 active users, many of whom are first-time participants in the formal financial system. To date, Wave has processed over ₦100 million in transactions in the first 6 months, a meaningful milestone in markets where financial inclusion remains a challenge for the majority.
Leading much of the product direction is Eni, whose role has been pivotal in shaping the company’s approach to savings, digital lending, and local cash interoperability. Her focus is clear: build tools that work for real people, regardless of device type, digital literacy, or income level.
“She’s one of the rare product managers who sees users as people first, not just data points or KPIs,” said Oluwatimilehin, CEO at Wave. “Omon will spend time in the field talking to agents and customers, and that shows in how the products actually work for everyday people.” Eni’s leadership is especially visible in Wave’s support for USSD-based lending and offline money transfer features systems specifically designed for users without smartphones or stable data access. These tools allow customers to request and receive small loans, send payments, or cash out via agent networks without needing to download an app or enter a formal bank.“
Every product we build has to be robust enough to work across poor network connections and intuitive enough for users with varying levels of digital literacy,” said Tobi, a product designer on Eni’s team. “Omon constantly pushes us to think beyond technical implementation and toward human context. That’s what makes her so effective.”
While the broader African continent still sees hundreds of millions of adults lacking access to traditional banking, Wave is carving out its own space by building from the ground up something Eni helps lead daily. Her cross-functional work spans product design, regulatory navigation, customer experience, and strategy, often involving deeply localized decisions to ensure trust and usability at every layer.
“She doesn’t build for headlines or investors she builds for impact,” said Richmond, a fintech advisor who has worked with early-stage financial startups across Africa. “Her work at Wave shows that product leadership isn’t just about delivering features it’s about delivering fairness.”
As Wave enters its next phase of growth marked by regional expansion and the introduction of advanced savings features, Omon Eni’s strategic leadership continues to be a driving force. Building on her success with inclusive lending tools, she is now leading the development of Wave’s first AI-powered WhatsApp chatbot for credit access, designed specifically for digitally savvy professionals. Grounded in extensive user research, product roadmapping, and iterative beta testing, this innovation reflects Eni’s commitment to data-driven product design and her ability to anticipate and meet the evolving financial needs of African users.
In a tech ecosystem that often celebrates scale at the expense of relevance, she’s a rare voice focused on building products that matter for the people who need them most. In an industry where access is often a buzzword, Omon Eni is turning it into reality one product decision at a time.
