- “What a journey it has been,” he says, marking the end of a ten-year chapter building one of Nigeria’s top fintech companies”
After ten years, Nigerian software engineer Julian Duru leaves Moniepoint. His exit marks the end of a decade-long journey that saw both his evolution and that of Moniepoint from a small team writing code in a Victoria Island apartment to one of Nigeria’s leading fintech companies.
Duru announced his departure on X, writing:
“Today is my last day as a software engineer at Moniepoint. It’s been 10 years since I started my career at this great company. 10 years of blood, sweat, tears, and triumph. What a journey it has been!”
For those who’ve followed Moniepoint’s rise, Duru’s name is a familiar one. A University of Lagos Computer Science graduate, he joined Moniepoint (formerly TeamApt) in 2015 straight out of school, barely 20 years old at the time, with a passion for building and very little else.
“I was just a kid… All I had going for me was that I was obsessed with building great products,” he wrote.
He recalled the early days vividly: a handful of engineers in Tosin Eniolorunda’s apartment in 1004, working long hours, throwing jokes around, and writing code late into the night. That small group would go on to build the technical foundation of what is now a fintech unicorn, serving millions of people and businesses across Nigeria and beyond. Now, with Moniepoint leadership changes underway and the company moving into its next phase, Duru is moving on.
Over the years, Julian Duru has worn many hats, including those of Test Automation Engineer, Product Manager, Software Architect, and, most recently, Principal Software Engineer before leaving moniepoint. His work spanned mobile apps, internal banking systems, business intelligence tools, and AI projects. He even built a custom checkers game in school, just because he didn’t like the versions available on the App Store.
Duru’s journey into software engineering started long before Moniepoint. At 15, he picked up a book in UNILAG’s library that introduced him to ALGOL. That moment sparked his curiosity in programming—an interest that hasn’t faded.
“I started writing code when I was 15… For me, it was about experimenting with an activity I found oddly satisfying.”
So, why leave now? After 10 years, many would call it a dream run: strong leadership, deep impact, and a seat at the table during one of Nigeria’s most exciting fintech stories. But for Duru, stepping down is more about making space for what’s next.
“This is a resignation from paid employment, but not from purpose,” he wrote. “I will continue to do everything I can to support my fellow humans with whatever resources the universe has blessed me with.”
He’s also deeply appreciative of the people who shaped his journey. He mentioned Tosin Eniolorunda, Moniepoint’s CEO, as a guiding figure whose values influenced the company’s culture and long-term vision. “I know Moniepoint will continue to do great things,” he said, “because I know Tosin.”
For Moniepoint, Julian Duru’s career move is a meaningful one. He wasn’t just another engineer; he was part of the company’s DNA. His contributions helped shape both product and culture. His departure signals change but also confidence in the next generation of talent stepping up within the Moniepoint tech team.
At the moment, Duru hasn’t shared exactly what he’s doing next. But he’s keeping busy. In his words: “Currently I’m working with a team of smart people to build systems powering some of the biggest banks in Nigeria, and I haven’t even scratched the surface regarding what I hope to accomplish as I progress through my career.”
He has done the work. He has seen the startup days, the scaling challenges, and the transition to unicorn status. And now, he is choosing to pause, reflect, and keep building, just from a different place.
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