Olu Oyinsan, Managing Partner at Oui Capital, is doubling down on the belief that early-stage investors in Africa can achieve profitable exits despite the region’s unique challenges. At a time when global venture capital markets are tightening, Oyinsan remains optimistic about the future of African startups — and the returns they can generate for investors who get in early.
Founded in 2019, Oui Capital is a pan-African early-stage venture capital firm focused on backing startups with scalable solutions to the continent’s pressing challenges. Under Oyinsan’s leadership, the firm has invested in over 20 startups across fintech, mobility, edtech, and healthtech, including well-known names like TeamApt, Duplo, and Mono. Many of these startups are now attracting follow-on funding from global investors, signaling strong potential for future exits.
Oyinsan believes that the key to achieving profitable exits lies in identifying founders with deep market insight, strong execution skills, and a clear path to scalability. “In Africa, talent is not the problem — the challenge is in finding businesses that can scale sustainably and attract strategic interest from acquirers or later-stage investors,” he says.
While the African startup ecosystem is still developing compared to other regions, recent acquisitions — such as Stripe’s acquisition of Paystack and WorldRemit’s acquisition of Sendwave — prove that exits are not only possible but increasingly likely. Oyinsan notes that international players are paying closer attention to African startups that demonstrate strong unit economics and market traction, especially in sectors like fintech and logistics.
Oui Capital’s investment strategy focuses not just on capital injection but also on active support through mentorship, business development, and global partnerships. This hands-on approach, Oyinsan argues, is what helps early-stage companies mature faster and become attractive targets for acquisition or further investment.
Looking ahead, Oyinsan is confident that the next wave of startup exits in Africa will be driven by the foundational work early-stage investors are doing now. “It’s not just about writing checks; it’s about building ecosystems,” he explains. For early-stage investors willing to take calculated risks, he believes the rewards — in terms of both financial returns and impact — are well worth the wait.
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