Breaking Barriers: Powering Financial Inclusion in Africa with AI – UNDP

Oluwaseun demonstrating the Periculum platform
 
Growing up, Oluwaseun Sokeye witnessed firsthand how access to financial services could change lives. In many African communities, small businesses remain locked out of the financial system because traditional banks struggle to assess their creditworthiness. This realization fueled Oluwaseun’s passion for harnessing technology to bridge the financial divide.
“I come from a place where many hardworking people struggle to access credit, not because they aren’t capable of repaying, but because the system lacks the right tools to assess their potential. This sparked my interest in using data and technology to bridge financial gaps,” noted Oluwaseun Sokeye, Chief Product Officer of Periculum.
 
Determined to solve this challenge, Oluwaseun joined Periculum, a fintech startup leveraging AI and alternative data to make credit access more inclusive. His journey was conventional—moving from business and product management into financial technology, all with a singular vision to empower underserved communities through data-driven decision-making.
“What excites me about working in a fintech startup is the opportunity to challenge the status quo. At Periculum, I get to build solutions that empower businesses and create real economic opportunities—and that’s what keeps me going every day,” Oluwaseun narrated.
Periculum’s mission was clear, but scaling impact was an uphill battle. Traditional financial institutions were slow to adopt new credit assessment models, and expanding data partnerships proved difficult. The turning point came when Periculum joined the timbuktoo Fintech Accelerator Programme, powered by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
 
With mentorship, strategic insights, and equity-free funding, Periculum refined its approach—shifting from targeting large banks to partnering with agile microfinance institutions and fintech startups. A breakthrough moment came when a leading microfinance institution integrated Periculum’s AI-powered decision engine. The results were immediate: loan processing speeds increased by 60%, default rates dropped, and more underserved entrepreneurs gained access to fair credit.
“One major lesson from the timbuktoo fintech programme is the importance of strategic partnerships. Instead of trying to do everything ourselves, we learned how to collaborate with banks, fintechs, and mobile money providers to maximize impact,” stated Oluwaseun. 
 
The success of this partnership was just the beginning. Periculum has since partnered with fintech startups in East and West Africa, scaling their reach across the continent, empowering them with AI-driven credit risk assessment, fraud prevention, and identity verification tools. The company’s vision is bold: to become Africa’s leading AI-driven credit decision platform, ensuring that millions of individuals and businesses can access fair and affordable credit.
 
For Oluwaseun, the journey has been one of resilience and adaptability. Pivoting their strategy to work with fintechs and micro-lenders taught him an invaluable lesson—impact happens when innovation meets the right market fit.
“Initially, we targeted large banks, but we realized that smaller lenders and fintechs were more agile in adopting our solutions”. 
Periculum’s story is a testament to the power of technology, collaboration, and purpose-driven entrepreneurship. By revolutionizing credit access, they are not just building a successful business but reshaping Africa’s financial landscape—one loan, one entrepreneur, and one community at a time.
 
The future is clear: a more inclusive financial system where technology levels the playing field for all, and for Periculum, this is just the beginning.
 
Working together on innovative initiatives like timbuktoo will go a long way to support more start-ups like Periculum to realize their dreams and contribute to sustainable development in Africa. 
 
 
Oluwaseun and team at Periculum
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