22 Questions with Oluseyi Oluwehinmi on his 22nd Switch-versary

22 Questions with Oluseyi Oluwehinmi on his 22^nd Switch-versary

A journey through time, growth, and purpose at The Switch.

There is something almost poetic about time; how it collects memories, milestones, and moments of quiet impact.

When we sat down with Oluseyi Oluwehinmi, Divisional Head, Procurement and Supply Chain Management here at The Switch, the conversation felt like opening a time capsule. 

Twenty-two years’ worth of history, innovation, and quiet leadership came tumbling out, stories from the early days of The Switch when fintech was still an unfamiliar word, to the present day, where technology now powers daily life across Africa.

Oluseyi is one of the main ‘OGs’ who joined The Switch just eleven months after its founding, when the team was young, audacious, and figuring things out as they went. He has worn different hats: project manager, facilities lead, compliance champion, and now, supply chain strategist. Through it all, his journey has mirrored that of The Switch itself; learning fast, adapting, and continuously raising the bar.

In this edition of Switch Story, we sat with him to reflect on his 22-year journey. Here are twenty-two questions with Oluseyi Oluwehinmi, marking 22 remarkable years at The Switch.

1. Q: You joined The Switch just 11 months after it started. What was it like being

part of the company’s early days?

A: The team was full of young, reasonable, intelligent, and God-fearing people who got things done. The oldest person at the Switch when I joined was just 33 years old, and it wasn’t me. Sharp wits, quick and precise decision making, fail fast, fail forward, recover faster, and succeed. ‘Do the right thing on time, the first time,’ was the slogan. One had to learn quickly and apply the knowledge learnt almost immediately. I realized that this was new to everyone; it was like learning to swim, and you are dropped at the deep end of an Olympic-sized swimming pool immediately. The difference was that I had other very good swimmers to help me succeed.

1. Q: From project delivery to supply chain management, you’ve worn many hats.

What has that journey taught you about adaptability?

A: You can stretch yourself mentally and physically to adapt to situations beyond what you thought was your limit. To achieve results, you need a team; the team needs you. Developing the right expertise is important, but collaboration is essential. I have been part of various collaborative teams that significantly advanced Interswitch Limited: the team that secured Interswitch's first ISO certification in QMS 9001:2005 and established the Risk, Quality, and Compliance functions, and the team that designed the framework for the PMO as I transitioned from project management to procurement and supply chain management.

1. Q: You’ve seen The Switch evolve from a startup to an innovative powerhouse.

What moments stand out most to you in that transformation?

A: Being part of the implementation of systems integration projects and the technology that moved the speed of financial transactions in Nigeria from slow offline and batched transactions to lightning-fast online, real-time transactions. The full impact of what Interswitch has done for the Nigerian economy is yet to be fully comprehended or appreciated by many.

1. Q: Can you take us back to those early years? What did “Supply Chain Management” look like in a fintech company at the time?

A: Supply chain management was not recognized as a strategically relevant discipline then. It was seen by most as largely operational, and at most somewhat relevant at the tactical level, ran on manual processes, and was decentralized (done in silos). So, HR/Admin did their own thing, Project Management did its own thing, Sales, Marketing, and Technology did likewise.

5. Q: You mentioned automating power switching in your early facility days; can you tell us the story behind that innovation and what inspired it?

A: Before 2011, HR/Admin oversaw the operation of the power-generating facility, including the purchasing of diesel for generators. After SCM was asked to take over, I did an audit of their processes and found out that switching from the public supply of power to the backup power source (power generating sets) was done manually, meaning a guard had to go and manually switch over whenever the public power supply stopped and switch back when public power was restored. The Super Switch would experience downtime during odd hours of the night if the guards were asleep and did not change over on time, and diesel would be unnecessarily used for a long time if they failed to switch back immediately public electric power was restored. I initiated a specific power audit, which was approved by Nkem Emelieze, the then CTO, and I worked with Babafemi Ogungbamila to size our power needs and got PDH engineering to map our power infrastructure for effective maintenance. An Automated Power Transfer Switch and synchronization device were implemented to make the generators work in sync, and a transformer was installed that separated us from the inefficient street transformer. I got justification from the board through Peter O’Toole the CFO at the time and Mitchell Elegbe the GMD and upgraded the power generating sets and installed a bigger diesel tank.

1. What does a typical day as Divisional Head, Procurement and Supply Chain Management look like to you?

A: To sum it up, it’s majorly about procurement planning, sourcing, supplier engagements and negotiations, guiding members of the team, market research, product inspections, purchase requisition and purchase order approvals, contract discussions with BUs, Groups, Legal, and their suppliers, ensuring there are adequate insurance covers for our assets and businesses working with the Risk and Information Security team and experts in the field, business and operations deployment strategy discussions.

1. Q: What are some misconceptions people have about supply chain management in a tech or payment company?       

A: SCM is just there to negotiate price with vendors; let’s only involve them when it’s time to negotiate price. Of course, it is much more than that. Procurement and Supply Chain Management enable you to succeed by helping you plan for, source for, and procure your needs, and manage your suppliers successfully with adequate risk management.

1. Q: You’ve handled project management, facilities, compliance, ethics, and procurement. What skill connects all these different roles?

A: Applying systems thinking, solving problems, paying attention to detail, fostering collaboration, managing stakeholders, understanding good governance practices, risk management, regulatory compliance, operations management, excellence and improvement, and expertise in quality management systems. As engineers, we are results-oriented because of our focused training.

1. Q: How do you ensure that the supply chain runs efficiently while still aligning with corporate compliance and ethics?

A: by hiring ethically upright and competent people with a track record to prove it, by putting great procurement and SCM policies, systems, processes, and practices in place, and training staff and stakeholders continually on the need to abide by the organization’s governance and policies, including those relevant to ethics and compliance. Collaborate and partner with suppliers and other organizations that share our values.

1. Q: You were one of the first certified Corporate Compliance and Ethics professionals at The Switch. How did that shape your leadership style?

A: Being certified disciplined me to get the job done without compromising policies and regulations or breaching processes. It gave me the awareness to be ethically above board in all transactions.

1. Q: What project or initiative are you most proud of leading during your time here?

A: Building Procurement and SCM in Interswitch Ltd from just roles and functions to a division that is strategically relevant to the success of Interswitch Ltd globally.

1. Q: Over the years, what has been the biggest change in how the supply chain operates within the company?

A: Moving Interswitch from decentralized procurement/ SCM and manual processes, with different sub-optimal standards, to a group shared service and centralized procurement/ SCM, with world-class policies, automated processes, and practices. The next phase is consistent customer satisfaction.

1. Q: The Switch is known for innovation. How does your team contribute to keeping that innovation alive behind the scenes?

A: We do this by keeping the organization out of trouble as we partner with vendors and suppliers for the required components, products, and services that feed this excellent culture of leading innovation. We support innovation through Procurement and SCM risk management, spend management, and cost optimization/ savings.

1. Q: How would you describe your leadership philosophy after more than two decades at The Switch?

A: Show the team how it’s done, get out of their way as they do what’s required

of them, guide them, and enable them to shine.

1. Q: What do you think has kept you motivated and passionate about your work all these years?

A: Knowing that my daily contributions play a critical part in Interswitch’s

positive impact on Africa and other parts of the world.

1. Q: If you could describe The Switch in 2003 and The Switch now using only three words each, what would they be?

A: Back in 2003:  Lean and agile. Now: bigger and resilient.

1. Q: What are some lessons you’ve learned from working across departments that

Others might find it useful.

A: Never operate in silos; always be conscious of the fact that what you do has an impact on the entire organization. Be open to collaboration always.

1. Q: If your role had a soundtrack, what song would it be, and why?   

A:  Lawrence Oyor’s ‘Favour Surrounds Me Like a Shield.’ Favour – goodwill with customers and suppliers for collaboration. 

1. Q: What’s one moment that made you proud to be part of The Switch? 

A: VISA’s acquisition of a portion of Interswitch’s shares. That to me was a stamp of global approval for the work we had been doing.

1. Q: What’s one lesson you think every young professional should learn about career growth? 

A: Grow in your expertise, do not work in a silo, collaborate for success, develop great people skills, manage your stakeholders well, and be visible.

1. Q: If the Switch were a machine, what part of that machine would your department be? 

A: As a machine, say a car, operations are the engine and sales are the wheels, while supply chain management is the crankshaft that transfers motion from the engine to the wheels. We enable operations to fulfill the promises that the sales team makes to our customers.

1. Q: Looking back, if you had to give one piece of advice to your younger self when you first joined The Switch, what would it be?

A: You cannot do it alone, work with others, and go for the acquisition of required knowledge as much as you can, while you are young. Your work will not always speak adequately for you; many times, you must take that opportunity or create that opportunity to show up and speak for yourself.

As our chat wrapped up, one thing became clear: Oluseyi’s story isn’t about longevity; it is about legacy. It is the story of someone who has helped shape the backbone of The Switch, ensuring that innovation never outpaces integrity, and that every system, supplier, and process contributes to a greater purpose.

Two decades on, his words remind us that growth is not just about moving forward, but about moving forward together, learning, adapting, and lifting others along the way.

Here is to 22 years of excellence, grit, and grace, and to the quiet trailblazers like Oluseyi who make The Switch not just a workplace, but a story worth telling.

CTA: Click here to watch the Video Session