How Tope Akande is building alternative international financial data for Nigerians with BucksTrybe

For millions of Nigerians, access to credit remains out of reach. Traditional credit scoring systems rely heavily on formal banking history, leaving out a large population that earns, saves, and transacts outside structured financial institutions. Tope Akande is building a different path with BucksTrybe, a platform that turns everyday financial behaviour into financial credible data.

At the centre of BucksTrybe’s model is the digitisation of long-standing group savings practices trusted across communities, such as the ‘Ajo’ system amongst the Yorubas, ‘Esusu’ system among the Igbos and ‘Adashe’ among the Hausas.

The platform records contributions, tracks progress and introduces approval structures that reduce disputes and the likelihood of fraud.

This creates a reliable financial trail for users who previously had none, while also helping groups stay organised and accountable. It is not just about the convenience of use, but clarity, a shared view of contributions and obligations that make participation easier, reduce misunderstanding, and strengthen commitment within the group.

Akande believes that informal finance already holds the signals needed for credit assessment. “People have always saved in groups. What has been missing is a structured way to prove that consistency and discipline,” he said.

“We are capturing those behaviours and turning them into data that financial institutions can trust.”

Beyond Nigeria, Tope Akande and his team are taking steps to replicate this financial solution in the United Kingdom, where BucksTrybe is building tools aimed at helping users build credit visibility.

This is done by turning verified patterns of financial behaviour into structured signals that can support access to credit quicker than it is now, making millions of individuals who are financially invisible visible.

“Our goal is simple. Credit should reflect real behaviour, not just formal history. If someone has shown consistency over time, the system should have a fair way to recognise that,” Akande said. “If you have shown discipline over time, that should open doors, not close them.”

This move reflects a broader ambition to make financial identity and credit profile accessible to all. BucksTrybe’s work sits at the intersection of community finance and modern credit systems: strengthening everyday saving culture in Nigeria through transparency, while building credit visibility pathways in the UK for people who are often excluded by traditional scoring models.

This approach positions BucksTrybe as more than a savings tool. It is building an alternative financial data system that reflects how many individuals can prove credibility.

For many users, it is simply about getting recognised for what they already do. A consistent savings habit that once stayed within a small circle can now speak for them, opening up access to opportunities that were previously out of reach.

“I’m building BucksTrybe to solve a system problem: when good people are excluded because the system doesn’t understand their financial reality,” Akande said. “We are not replacing the culture. We are strengthening it with structure and visibility.”

BucksTrybe is a fintech building tools that strengthen trust in everyday finance. In Nigeria, BucksTrybe supports group savings and contribution structures with visibility and accountability. In the UK, BucksTrybe is focused on credit visibility, helping people build credibility using verified financial behaviour.