Passion is one of the greatest forces behind human achievement. For Tosin Osunkoya, it is a passion for wealth creation.

This passion, spiced with resilience, critical thinking and quest to deliver exceptional value, has transformed Osunkoya into an accomplished Global Finance Expert, a Serial Entrepreneur and a Venture Capitalist with a vast interest in financial services, real estate development, Information Technology amongst others.

The Foundation

“My educational journey provided me with a solid foundation in accounting, finance, and business management. Additionally, it has instilled in me critical thinking skills and the ability to adapt to the vagaries of the global financial markets,” Osunkoya said.

However, Osunkoya’s first love was investment banking and financial advisory, which was inspired by career in major financial institutions.

Explaining, he said: “I gained valuable experience working in various roles within the financial sector from my early days at Oceanic and Kakawa Discount House to United Bank for Africa, UBA and finally, Rand Merchant Bank. These experiences that span over 16 years exposed me to different facets of the industry and helped me identify my passion for investment banking and financial advisory services.”

Career & Leadership

As an investment banker, Osunkoya held key leadership roles which transformed his love for investment into passion for wealth creation.

These leadership roles include: Chief Dealer, Kakawa Discount House Limited; Head of Fixed, Zenith Bank Plc; Group Head, Trading (Treasury Division) UBA Group; and Head, Trading (Global Markets), Rand Merchant Bank.

Osunkoya was also widely involved in the development of the financial markets in Nigeria. He was formerly the Deputy Chairman of the Derivatives Workgroup at the Financial Markets Dealers Association (FMDA) and a member of the Investors, Issuers & Intermediaries Engagement/ Education Sub-Committee of the FMDQ OTC charged with the development of the Debt Capital Market.

Entrepreneurship

Following his successful career and leadership in investment banking and an MBA from the prestigious INSEAD Business School, Osunkoya, decided to pursue his passion for wealth creation, by venturing into the challenging world of entrepreneurship.

Thus, in 2016 he teamed up with two long term friends, and established Comercio Partners Limited.
Speaking on what inspired the trio into banking entrepreneurship, Osunkoya said, “The motivation behind starting Comercio Partners stemmed from a desire to create an integrated financial services ecosystem that prioritizes integrity, innovation, and client-centric solutions.

“We wanted to build a company that fosters long-term relationships with clients and delivers exceptional value through customized strategies, horizontal and vertical integration, and unique offerings.”

From a handful of pioneers and a humble beginning in a penthouse on A.J Marinho Street, Victoria Island, Lagos, Comercio Partners grew quickly into a financial market infrastructure group in Nigeria with 60 employees, operating from three locations, Lagos, Abuja and the United Kingdom.

Executive Roles

In addition to being a Co-Founder, Osunkoya is also the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Comercio Partners Asset Management, one of the subsidiaries of Comercio Partners, where he oversees the growing assets and portfolios of Institutional Investors, (Ultra) High-net worth and Mass Affluent Investors.

Providing insight into his multifaceted role in Comercio Partners, Osunkoya said, “I oversee strategic direction of the asset management arm of the group, lead business development activities, and champion client relationship management. Additionally, I play a key role in fostering a culture of collaboration and innovation within the group, driving our growth and success.”

Global Recognition

The company’s leadership and impactful roles and contributions to the finance industry, has attracted several awards. These include the Businessday Banks and Other Financial Institutions’ (BAFI) award in 2020.

Comercio Partners was recognized as the Investment Bank of the Year for Growth Stage Companies and also as the Investment Bank of the Year for Sustainable Infrastructure and Project Finance.

The Company has also been listed in the Financial Times rankings for Africa’s Fastest Growing Companies in 2022, 2023 and 2024.

Navigating Challenges

However, like many entrepreneurship endeavours, Osunkoya and his friends had to navigate several challenges.

Highlighting these challenges, Osunkoya said: “Setting up a business in Nigeria requires resilience and determination. Manoeuvring through government policies, navigating the dearth of essential market infrastructure, combating corruption, and untangling bureaucratic complexities are just a few of the formidable challenges we have encountered.

“Moreover, for a boutique investment firms like ours, earning investor trust, assembling a skilled team, and cementing credibility in an intensely competitive market are ongoing endeavours.”

The Techpreneur

Osunkoya’s passion for wealth creation also inspired him to venture into the technology world.
He is the Founder and President, The Bulb Africa, a tech talent incubator company strategically designed to close the skill gap in Africa’s job market. Among other things, The Bulb creates employment opportunities, helps startups scale, moulds young Africans into tech experts and provides communities to foster growth and career advancements.

Osunkoya is also the Founder, Enov8 Solutions, a cybersecurity and IT-focused company. The company helps organisations of every size gain insights into large volumes of data for rapid decision-making while providing cybersecurity solutions to monitor and protect critical network and data assets.

Social Impact

He also creates platforms for creative minds to express their talents, while also functioning as a coach and mentor to harness and unlock innate treasures for wealth creation in Africa.

In this regard, Osunkoya is an Ambassador, ‘Teach For Nigeria’, an organisation committed to fuelling Nigerian leadership to guarantee children their human rights and to enable them to fulfil their full potential. Among other things, Teach for Nigeria supports and promotes the development of a movement of leaders across the nation who are committed to ending educational inequity.