Olatomiwa Lasebikan is a web and software developer, data analyst and programmer. He co-founded BuyCoins Africa.
Early Life and Education
Olatomiwa Lasebikan was born into the Lasebikan family in Osun State, Nigeria. He pursued higher education in the United States, earning a degree in Computer Science and Mathematics from Fisk University, Nashville, Tennessee, from 2010 to 2014. He also attended Vanderbilt University.
Career
Lasebikan began his career as a Web Development Intern at the Center for Physics and Chemistry of Materials, Nashville, in 2011, where he developed a website using WIX and built a mobile version of the center’s website with HTML5 and CSS3.
In 2012, he worked as a Research Assistant at the National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis (NIMBioS), where he led a research group, managed the code base, and assisted non-technical teammates in developing programming skills.
Before completing his degree, he interned at Microsoft as a Software Developer Engineer from May to August 2013. During this time, he worked on implementing a feedback and rating feature for Microsoft Power BI and contributed to bug testing and data formatting tools.
Upon graduation in 2014, he joined Microsoft as a Software Engineer, where he worked on Microsoft Big Data Service, HDInsight on Azure. His role involved data analysis, telemetry pipeline development, and visualization for executive decision-making. He used tools such as Hadoop, Hive, Sqoop, and SQL for big data analysis and worked with Power BI, Excel, and SharePoint for data presentation. He remained at Microsoft until October 2018.
He later co-founded Helicarrier with Ire Aderinokun.
Blockchain Innovations
After leaving Microsoft, Tomiwa Lasebikan co-founded BuyCoins Africa, a cryptocurrency trading platform, and later launched SendCash, a remittance service that allows Nigerian abroad to send money directly to Nigerian and Ghanaian bank accounts using Bitcoin or USDC. These platforms were designed to address the challenges of cross-border transactions.
In an interview with TechCabal, Lasebikan explained that his motivation stemmed from identifying the remittance challenges faced by Nigerians abroad and developing solutions using blockchain technology.
Views on Blockchain and Nigeria
Lasebikan has spoken about the challenges of blockchain adoption, including security risks and regulatory hurdles. He has emphasized the importance of high standards and continuous improvement in personal and professional growth.
In a 2019 interview with Workaroo, he encouraged young Nigerians to maintain high standards despite societal challenges, stating:
“Nigeria easily demands of us to be mediocre, late, ineffective, nonchalant, etc. People can have weaknesses, but it’s important not to give up on working on them. That’s how high standards are nurtured.”
Lasebikan remains an influential figure in Nigeria’s blockchain industry, contributing to the adoption of cryptocurrency and financial technology solutions across Africa.