Stephen Offor Honored with Technology Venture Innovation Award

The smartest business minds are usually not the first to speak but when they build, the effects ripple far beyond their own companies. That’s exactly the case with Stephen Offor, co-founder of Payble, whose quiet focus on practical, people-first infrastructure has earned him the Technology Venture Innovation Award at this year’s Business and Enterprise Leadership Honors.

The award recognizes individuals whose work goes beyond personal enterprise to create systems that empower others to build, grow, and thrive. With the company, Offor has developed a peer-to-peer financial platform that’s not just solving payment problems, but unlocking financial participation for gig workers, informal entrepreneurs, savings groups, and everyday people navigating Nigeria’s complex money movement systems.

The company has carved a space for itself by focusing on what many overlook; trust, usability, and nuance in financial behavior. From offline-compatible features to social trust scoring and group wallet capabilities, the platform reflects a deep understanding of how communities actually send, receive, and manage money across both digital and informal networks. It’s not a one-size-fits-all solution, but a tailored financial layer that respects real-world complexity.

Accepting the award, he reflected on the philosophy behind the work.“Entrepreneurship doesn’t thrive in isolation. It grows when people have the tools, trust, and infrastructure to build on top of. That’s what we’ve tried to create with Payble, rails that others can use to move forward,” he said.

While many fintech startups chase volume and visibility, the company has chosen a slower, sturdier path, one that prioritizes long-term inclusion over short-term scale. Its growing adoption among cooperatives, side-hustle earners, student traders, and family networks proves that the company’s focus on clarity and trust is not just working, it’s needed.

This recognition of Offor is a timely reminder that some of the most transformative work in Africa’s digital economy is happening beneath the radar inside tools that create possibilities for others. As more attention turns toward inclusive innovation, companies like this and the founders behind them are setting the bar not just for what’s possible, but for what’s necessary.

The company’s trajectory suggests a wider change in fintech, going beyond the prize itself. This movement aims to rethink how people engage with money in ways that are culturally relevant, rather than merely digitizing transactions. By facilitating peer transfers for novice digital users or facilitating pooled savings plans, the firm is establishing itself as a silent force in financial democratization.

This award is both recognition and responsibility to him. As the company scales into new regions, he remains focused on one central idea: that technology is only powerful when it bends to the needs of the people it serves.