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In this episode of OnPeople, we discuss with Oyinkan Akintola-Bello, a governance and technology expert operating at the critical intersection where policy, regulation, and innovation collide in African tech. From leading the governance and digital security practice at Co-Creation Hub (CC Hub) to becoming country manager of the UK-Nigeria Technology Hub under the UK Foreign Commonwealth Development Office, Oyinkan has spent her career building bridges between government, tech ecosystems, and international development across Nigeria, Rwanda, Kenya, Ghana, Uganda, and beyond.
She opens up about her unconventional journey from accidentally choosing law (thanks to a secondary school friend and a book she never read), to discovering her passion for systems thinking through a master's in Conflict, Security and Development, to landing at Konga where she witnessed firsthand how transformational technology can be — watching a cleaner become a product manager.
Oyinkan shares the power of strategic career moves; including taking a pay cut for roles that added to her "catalogue," the superpower of being an Executive Assistant early in your career, and why having been an implementer makes you a better program designer. She also breaks down what makes companies "infectious" (hint: it's intentional care for people, not ping pong tables), and the governance blind spots that African tech companies consistently miss until it's too late.
If you're navigating non-linear career paths, learning to question systems rather than accept them, or building in Africa's tech ecosystem, this conversation is your playbook.
———
Visit www.thepeoplepractice.io/
Follow us on:
X: x.com/ThePeoplePract
Instagram: instagram.com/thepeoplepractice.io
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/the-people-practice-africa
She opens up about her unconventional journey from accidentally choosing law (thanks to a secondary school friend and a book she never read), to discovering her passion for systems thinking through a master's in Conflict, Security and Development, to landing at Konga where she witnessed firsthand how transformational technology can be — watching a cleaner become a product manager.
Oyinkan shares the power of strategic career moves; including taking a pay cut for roles that added to her "catalogue," the superpower of being an Executive Assistant early in your career, and why having been an implementer makes you a better program designer. She also breaks down what makes companies "infectious" (hint: it's intentional care for people, not ping pong tables), and the governance blind spots that African tech companies consistently miss until it's too late.
If you're navigating non-linear career paths, learning to question systems rather than accept them, or building in Africa's tech ecosystem, this conversation is your playbook.
———
Visit www.thepeoplepractice.io/
Follow us on:
X: x.com/ThePeoplePract
Instagram: instagram.com/thepeoplepractice.io
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/the-people-practice-africa
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What is OnPeople?
OnPeople is your podcast guide to the world of people at work, showcasing real stories, insights, and lessons from those shaping the workplace.