What happens when you take a trust-based, offline financial system and turn it into software that people depend on with their money? In this episode, Erioluwa shares the real pressure behind building a fintech startup in Nigeria, where every product decision, line of code, and feature trade-off directly impacts user trust and financial safety.

For startup founders, this conversation goes beyond fintech. It reveals what it actually takes to move users from familiar, manual systems into digital products, how to balance growth with risk, and why sometimes the best product decision is not building a feature at all. From early traction challenges to scaling a lean engineering team, this episode breaks down the realities of building something people rely on financially, not just functionally.

You’ll also hear how trust becomes the real product, why simplifying solutions often beats complex engineering, and what changes when your users’ money, not just their attention, is on the line.

Key Takeaways

Why fintech changes engineering standards completely and why “good enough” code is never acceptable
How to balance product growth with fraud prevention and system risk
A practical approach to deciding which features to build or reject based on risk vs return
How to scale a lean engineering team without introducing unnecessary process overhead
Why raising the bar for users can be more effective than building complex safeguards
The shift from writing code to leading people, making trade-offs, and owning outcomes

About Erioluwa

Erioluwa Asiru is a software engineer, technology leader, and mentor, serving as CTO and Cofounder of Circle Funds. She leads the company’s technical vision, building scalable financial infrastructure and products that expand access to funding and wealth-building opportunities. Her work combines hands-on engineering with strategic leadership, ensuring reliable systems and strong product execution.

Alongside her role as a founder, Erioluwa is a lead mentor at Data Epic, where she guides cohorts through intensive six-month programs in data and software engineering. She is passionate about developing practical skills, fostering confidence, and helping aspiring professionals transition into successful tech careers.

Erioluwa has delivered a wide range of impactful solutions, including digital savings platforms, creator financing systems, admin portals, and automated data analysis tools. Driven by innovation, education, and economic empowerment, she is committed to building technology that creates real opportunities while mentoring the next generation of tech talent.

Chapters

00:00 What is Ajo?

06:56 Ad

07:28 Working in Nigerian Financial Technology

13:35 Fraud, Features, and Leadership

22:51 Ad

23:03 Complicated Solutions and Inspiration

26:38 The Future of Circle Funds

29:46 Mentorship Experience

31:05 You Need a Community!

Where to find Erioluwa

Website: https://circlefunds.io
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/asiru-erioluwa/

The Software That Can’t Be Wrong: Building Fintech for Millions in Africa ft. Erioluwa Asiru