Jay Alabraba

**Jay Alabraba: Co-Founder and Director of Business Development at Pagatech** Jay Alabraba is a Nigerian-American entrepreneur and business executive, recognized as one of the earliest fintech pioneers in Nigeria. He is the Co-Founder and Director of Business Development at Pagatech (Paga), which operates Nigeria's largest mobile-payments service, and has been instrumental in driving technological innovation and digital transformation across the African continent. **Early Life and Education** Born and raised in Nigeria, Alabraba immigrated to the United States at the age of 16. He pursued his higher education in the U.S., earning a Bachelor's degree (cum laude) in Electrical and Computer Engineering from The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. Following his undergraduate studies, he furthered his business acumen by obtaining a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from the Graduate School of Business at Stanford University. **Career Progression and Achievements** Alabraba’s professional career began in finance. In 2006, he joined Goldman Sachs & Co. in New York as an MBA intern, and subsequently worked as a full-time Investment Banking Associate. He returned to Nigeria in 2009 to manage an investment banking team at BGL Plc. in Lagos. Shortly thereafter, he pivoted his focus to entrepreneurship. Alabraba co-founded Pagatech with Tayo Oviosu. Paga is a leading mobile payments platform and is considered a key player in the evolution of Nigeria's fintech sector. His role as Co-Founder and Director of Business Development places him at the forefront of the company’s strategic growth and expansion efforts. Through Paga, Alabraba has helped develop critical digital financial services, promoting financial inclusion in Nigeria. **Current Status** In addition to his leadership role at Paga, Jay Alabraba remains an active figure in the startup ecosystem, serving as an angel investor and advisor to several emerging technology companies. He continues to advocate for technological innovation and the development of young tech talent in Africa.