GEORGE IYALLA

SENIOR FINTECH BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT LEADER
Lagos, NG.

About

A Senior Fintech Business Development Leader with over a decade of expertise, adept at scaling enterprise and SME portfolios within dynamic payment ecosystems. Proven leader in driving significant revenue growth and managing large transaction volumes, excelling in strategic partnerships, team leadership, and optimizing merchant engagement to achieve performance excellence and robust stakeholder management.

Work

FLUTTERWAVE TECHNOLOGY LIMITED
|

Regional Manager, Merchant Acquiring

Lagos, Lagos State, Nigeria

Summary

Managed merchant acquisition and payment optimization for a payment technology company, expanding the active merchant base and improving transaction flows.

Highlights

Acquired and managed 1,000+ SME and enterprise merchants, expanding the active merchant base by 38% through targeted acquisition strategies.

Managed #600M+ in transaction volume, optimizing payment flows across cards, transfers, and digital channels.

Increased average monthly transaction value per merchant by 25% through upselling and account optimization initiatives.

Improved merchant satisfaction by 20% by serving as the primary liaison between merchants and internal product, engineering, operations, and compliance teams.

Reduced failed transactions by 30% by supporting API integrations and resolving technical payment issues.

Achieved a 93% merchant retention rate through consistent engagement, performance reviews, and proactive account management.

OPAY DIGITAL SERVICES LIMITED
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Regional Head, Key Accounts

Lagos, Lagos State, Nigeria

Summary

Led a 35-member key accounts team at a leading mobile payments platform, driving productivity and achieving high merchant retention rates.

Highlights

Led a 35-member key accounts team, increasing productivity by 35% within 6 months through structured performance management and coaching.

Managed 500+ high-value merchant accounts, achieving a 92% retention rate by optimizing merchant performance and engagement.

Drove over #450M+ growth in transaction volume within 6 months by strategically upselling POS, transfers, QR, and card acceptance solutions.

Onboarded and activated 500+ enterprise merchants, boosting recurring revenue by 45% across the portfolio.

Reduced merchant churn by 25% through proactive relationship management and streamlined issue-resolution workflows.

Successfully managed between #500M to #600M monthly transaction volumes, maintaining 92-95% merchant retention rates.

Increased monthly active merchants by 80% using KPI-driven tracking, structured engagement, and lifecycle optimization.

Onboarded over 2,000 merchants across fintech platforms, significantly expanding the active merchant base and driving revenue growth.

AKU.AFRICA
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Regional Sales Manager

Lagos, Lagos State, Nigeria

Summary

Drove regional merchant acquisition and sales for a fintech company, enhancing productivity and fostering team development.

Highlights

Increased regional merchant acquisition by 45% across retail, hospitality, and service sectors through disciplined sales execution.

Led and managed a 50+ person regional team, improving productivity by 30% via coaching, performance tracking, and incentives.

Mentored high potential staff, resulting in 5 promotions into senior roles.

Reduced operational inefficiencies by 25% by implementing process improvements and targeted training programs.

Boosted loan uptake by 35% through strategic relationship management and cross-selling of financial products.

Managed 200+ SME and high-value merchant accounts, maintaining a 95% retention rate and strong customer satisfaction.

PAYFORCE/CROWDFORCE
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Partnership Manager

Lagos, Lagos State, Nigeria

Summary

Managed strategic partnerships for a payment solutions provider, driving significant transaction volume and expanding the merchant network.

Highlights

Managed 25+ strategic partnerships with banks, fintechs, and corporate clients, generating over #500M in transaction volume within 12 months.

Onboarded 15 high-value partners, expanding payment channels and growing the merchant network by 30%.

Negotiated commercial agreements that improved revenue share and overall profitability by 20%.

Increased partner-driven merchant activation by 40% through improved onboarding, enablement, and ongoing support.

Education

Enugu State University Of Science And Technology
Nigeria

BSC.

Mass Communication

Languages

English

Skills

Business Development

Fintech, Payments Ecosystems, Key Account Management, Merchant Acquisition, Sales Strategy, Strategic Partnerships, Revenue Growth, Transaction Volume Optimization.

Leadership & Management

Team Leadership, Performance Management, Coaching, Stakeholder Management, Process Improvement, KPI Tracking, Lifecycle Optimization.

Client & Partner Relations

Relationship Management, Customer Satisfaction, Commercial Negotiation, Partner Activation, Onboarding Processes, Churn Reduction, Issue Resolution.

Payment Solutions

POS Systems, QR Payments, Card Acceptance, API Integration, Payment Processing, Upselling, Cross-selling, Loan Products.

Tools & Systems

Gmail, CRM, KYC, Training Programs.