Jeremiah Olamijuwon
✦ The Journey
From Whiteboard
to World Stage
From a dusty street corner with a whiteboard in hand… to founding inclusive fintech platforms, training hundreds of youth, and speaking on international stages. This is the journey behind the ventures.
My journey into tech, entrepreneurship, and impact began in 2013 as a freshman at Université et Polytechnique Internationale du Bénin. With just a fairly decent laptop, expensive data, and a big dream, I faced my first real-world problem: accessing my academic records was a bureaucratic nightmare.
Frustrated by the lack of digital solutions, I teamed up with three friends (Mathew, Moses, and Martins) to build an academic records management system using Visual Basic. I funded our learning with my Best First-Year Student award, and after a year of relentless coding, we launched our first product. We partnered with Global Konsult Group, who helped pitch our system to the university. Despite being very young in our career, we became the official tech team and made our first millions CFA.
That success led us to co-found Just Fine Institute to train other students in software development. As one of the co-founders, I helped build a tech community that empowered hundreds across Benin Republic. By 2014, I received the UPIB Genius of the Year award and, in 2015, transitioned from Just Fine Institute to focus on research and prepare for my NYSC in Nigeria.
The Pivot to Purpose:
Choosing the Village Over Comfort
During my NYSC, I was posted to Abia State, where I initially served as an Assistant Lecturer, but sitting in an air-conditioned office didn't align with my mission for grassroots impact. I requested to be posted to Umoyoro Ngwa, one of the most remote villages in the state. People thought I was crazy.
While just in my early twenties, I led life-changing initiatives in that village. Among other things, :
- •I Built and equipped the first computer lab for the local school (4 computers, generator, furniture).
- •Taught ICT to students, improving their exam performance.
- •Led HIV/AIDS sensitization campaigns and conducted free testing with fellow corps members.
- •Noticed the untapped potential of village women and brought in experts to train them in fish farming, tarpaulin pond management, and fish drying using local materials.
By the time I completed my service, I had launched three major interventions and left behind sustainable impact. In recognition of this, I was awarded the Overall Best Corps Member (2015 Batch) by His Excellency Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, the then-Governor of Abia State.
Following NYSC, I pursued my postgraduate studies at one of Africa's most prestigious institutions - University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa, in order to deepen my expertise and broaden my global perspective.
Awards & Recognition
A journey measured by tangible outcomes and trusted recognition from governments, media, and industry ecosystems across Africa.
Scaling Impact
From grassroots initiatives to multi-country execution, these numbers reflect the scale and consistency of impact delivered.
4 Countries
Multi-Country Operations
Operating ventures across South Africa, Nigeria, Benin Republic, and Eswatini
30+ Partners
Strategic Partnerships
Collaborating with governments, NGOs, and international organizations
300+ Trained
Youth Development
Training disadvantaged youth in tech skills and entrepreneurship
15+ MVPs
Startup Acceleration
Supporting African entrepreneurs with MVP development and funding
Trusted by leaders, platforms, and institutions
Presidential & Governorship Honors
Awarded for outstanding contributions to youth development and social innovation
International Media Features
Featured on SABC's Channel Africa and other platforms for AI innovation
Global Speaking Engagements
Speaker at Deep Learning Indaba, Brand Pulse, and AI ethics conferences
Forbes Africa 30 Under 30
Nominated for leadership in technology and social entrepreneurship
Building Africa's Future
Through purpose-driven ventures like Curnance (inclusive fintech), JAC (youth empowerment), VUES (AI health screening), and Techlevate (MVP development), I'm building solutions that address Africa's most pressing challenges. From training 1000+ disadvantaged youth to onboarding 10,000+ unbanked users, each venture creates lasting social and economic impact across multiple African countries.
Mentoring
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Opportunities
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Free Resources
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Help & Reviews
Get your portfolio and projects reviewed by Industry experts and mentors.
Biggest Highlights of My Career
My journey has been marked by daring pivots, national and international recognition, and building ventures that merge technology, education, agriculture, and social impact.
Honorary Doctorate Degree
Université et Polytechnique Internationale du Bénin (UPIB)
Awarded in recognition of pioneering work as a student entrepreneur
BSc Hons Computer Science
University of the Witwatersrand (Wits), South Africa
Graduated with Distinction, fully sponsored through Postgraduate Merit Award
Golden Key International Honour Society
Global Recognition
Invited as top 15% of students globally
MSc Computer Science
University of the Witwatersrand (Wits), South Africa
Completed with Distinction while leading AI research for dark-skinned individuals
Presidential Award for Nigerian Youths
State House, Aso Rock, Abuja
Conferred by His Excellency, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, Vice President of Nigeria
State Recognition
Osun State Government
Honored for representing the state and fostering national unity during tribal divisions
Honorary Doctorate Degree
Université et Polytechnique Internationale du Bénin (UPIB)
Awarded in recognition of pioneering work as a student entrepreneur
BSc Hons Computer Science
University of the Witwatersrand (Wits), South Africa
Graduated with Distinction, fully sponsored through Postgraduate Merit Award
Golden Key International Honour Society
Global Recognition
Invited as top 15% of students globally
MSc Computer Science
University of the Witwatersrand (Wits), South Africa
Completed with Distinction while leading AI research for dark-skinned individuals
Presidential Award for Nigerian Youths
State House, Aso Rock, Abuja
Conferred by His Excellency, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, Vice President of Nigeria
State Recognition
Osun State Government
Honored for representing the state and fostering national unity during tribal divisions
“From a dusty street corner with a whiteboard in hand… to founding inclusive fintech platforms, training hundreds of youth, and speaking on international stages. This is the journey behind the ventures.”
Still Just Getting Started
My journey is far from over. I'm building an ecosystem where innovation meets impact across Africa.
Impact Numbers
The Africa I Believe In
A young girl in Osun can become a data scientist
A street youth in Jo'burg can build the next MVP
An agripreneur in Kwara can access capital and mentorship
A health worker in Senegal can screen patients with AI
Future Plans and Goals
Looking ahead, my goal is to scale Curnance, JAC, and Eti Intelligence into truly pan-African forces. For Curnance, we're building the financial backbone for African students and diaspora workers to access education, savings, and investment tools that work across borders.
Curnance launched its mobile app in November 2023, and in just 16 months of operations, the platform processed over 15 Million ZAR in transactions across South Africa and Eswatini; and over 500 Million Naira in Nigeria.
With plans to expand into Lesotho, Namibia, Benin Republic, Cameroon, and later the UK and USA by 2026, Curnance is on its way to becoming the go-to platform for students across Africa, eliminating foreign exchange hassles and making global education more accessible.
This is the Africa I believe in. This is the Africa I'm building.
Moments & Milestones
Capturing the journey of building Africa's future through innovation, leadership, and impact.
Let's Build SomethingAmazing Together
Ready to discuss partnerships, investments, or collaboration opportunities? Let's connect and explore how we can create impact together.
Or reach out directly
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