When people talk about blockchain in Africa and the Middle East, one name keeps coming up: Oluchi Elizabeth Enebeli. Known as Nigeria’s first female blockchain engineer and now Principal Engineer (Crypto) at Wio Bank in the UAE, Oluchi’s journey is one of resilience, grit, and bold vision.
Oluchi’s story begins in Lagos, where her father’s military career meant frequent relocations and a constantly changing school environment. Growing up in this environment made her adaptable and resilient, and homeschooling by her father instilled in her a love for problem-solving, especially in mathematics.
Her fascination with math became the foundation of her analytical thinking, a skill that would later prove invaluable in software and blockchain engineering. At the University of Benin, Oluchi pursued a degree in Mathematics.
Discovering Technology and Blockchain
Initially, Oluchi’s interest in technology was limited to desktop publishing and basic web design. She explored networking courses and Cisco certifications but faced financial constraints. Determined to learn, she turned to free resources online, including YouTube tutorials and GitHub, teaching herself the foundations of coding and software development.
Her curiosity eventually led her to blockchain, a field few at the time fully understood. Oluchi was drawn to its potential beyond cryptocurrencies—its power to transform finance, governance, and digital interactions. With little mentorship available locally, she relied on online resources, hackathons, and connecting with blockchain enthusiasts worldwide. These efforts allowed her to acquire skills that many thought required formal training, positioning her as Nigeria’s First Female Blockchain Engineer.
Choosing blockchain at a time when few believed in it, she became a pioneer, charting new paths that would ultimately reshape her career and inspire thousands of others.
Building a Career from Scratch
Oluchi’s first professional opportunity came at a small tech lab in Lagos, where she immersed herself in blockchain projects. Her hands-on experience quickly caught the attention of larger firms. She moved into roles at major global companies, steadily building a reputation for technical excellence and leadership.
Over nearly a decade, Oluchi has worked across blockchain and AI, designing secure wallet infrastructure, decentralized finance (DeFi) systems, and liquid staking solutions. She has helped scale projects supporting over $1.7 billion in total value locked (TVL) and served more than a million users globally. Her work has bridged technical innovation with real-world applications, earning her recognition as a leading figure in blockchain engineering.
Career Highlights: Pioneering Blockchain Solutions
Oluchi has contributed to some of the most influential projects in the blockchain space:
- Sterling Bank, Binance, Crypto.com, Liquality, and Nestcoin: Oluchi worked on protocol design, wallet systems, and scalable blockchain solutions that supported millions of users worldwide, demonstrating her ability to execute complex projects at a global scale.
- Alluvial Finance: She led engineering efforts on liquid staking infrastructure, working on Transferable Validator Sets (TVS) and staking management systems. Her work helped integrate Ethereum validator lifecycle innovations with practical staking solutions, placing her at the forefront of DeFi technology.
- Wio Bank: In her current role, Oluchi oversees crypto-banking integration at the UAE neobank, helping create a seamless bridge between traditional finance and blockchain. Her leadership ensures that Wio Bank remains at the cutting edge of the financial technology sector.
Her influence extends into policy and strategy too, having served as a Technical Advisor to the Anambra State Tech Transition Committee in Nigeria in 2022, helping shape strategies for digital transformation at a government level.
Empowering Women: The Vision Behind Web3Ladies
Beyond technical achievements, Oluchi has dedicated herself to fostering inclusion in the tech space. She founded Web3Ladies, Africa’s largest women-focused nonprofit in Web3, with a community of over 20,000 members. The initiative provides mentorship, education, and hands-on training for African women aiming to break into blockchain and Web3 careers.
Through Web3Ladies, Oluchi has helped thousands of women transition into tech, offering guidance, skill development, and real-world experience. She believes that creating inclusive ecosystems is not just a moral imperative but also essential for the future of technology.
Coaching and Mentorship: Passing Knowledge Forward
Oluchi is also passionate about coaching professionals at every stage of their careers. From newcomers finding their first tech roles to mid-career engineers aiming for leadership positions, she shares strategies that helped her succeed:
- Building authentic networks
- Leveraging visibility
- Securing roles through recommendations
- Turning setbacks into stepping stones
Her philosophy is simple:
“I’ve walked the road from Lagos to Dubai; from feeling boxed in, to becoming unboxed and unstoppable. My mission now is to help others build bold careers and thrive in emerging technologies.”
Recognition and Influence
Oluchi’s impact extends beyond projects and mentoring. She has received numerous accolades for her contributions:
- Women In Web3 by Women In Tech
- Recognized as a Top 10 Woman in Web3 Changemaker
- Honored as a Rising Woman in Crypto
- Served as a Technical Advisor to government committees, helping shape digital transformation strategies
- UK Global Talent Endorsed, and recipient
These honors reflect not only her technical expertise but also her commitment to building communities and policies that support innovation and inclusion.
The Lifestyle of a Trailblazer
Oluchi’s career journey is matched by a lifestyle that reflects balance, focus, and continuous growth. She blends professional excellence with personal development, emphasizing learning, networking, and community building. Striving for continuous learning, she holds an MSc in Blockchain and Digital Currencies.
Her story inspires aspiring engineers and entrepreneurs by demonstrating that success in emerging technologies is possible with curiosity, resilience, and consistent effort.
Most importantly, Oluchi recognizes the role of relationships and community in her growth. She acknowledges the network of people who have been significant throughout her career: Clement Hugbo, her loving husband and cheerleader; Thessy Mehrain of Liquality; Yele Bademosi and Taiwo Orilogbon of Nestcoin; Confidence Staveley of Cybersafe Foundation; Misha Tuffied of Alluvial Finance; and Chigozie Anaysor of Uradium Networks.
Current Work and the Future
At Wio Bank, Oluchi Enebeli is shaping the next generation of crypto-banking solutions. Her work involves scaling platforms to meet global standards, integrating secure blockchain infrastructures, and ensuring that innovative financial products are accessible and reliable.
Looking forward, Oluchi plans to continue expanding her influence in both technology and community building. She aims to build systems that scale, communities that empower, and professionals who are ready to lead. Her vision remains clear: technology should be inclusive, innovative, and a tool for empowerment.
Conclusion: Inspiration for the Next Generation
Oluchi Enebeli’s journey from Lagos to Dubai is more than a career story; it is a roadmap of courage, resilience, and purposeful growth. From self-taught beginnings to becoming one of the UAE’s most sought-after blockchain engineers, she has broken barriers and created opportunities not just for herself but for thousands of others.
Her dual impact—driving technical innovation while building inclusive communities, sets her apart. Whether she’s scaling crypto-banking infrastructure at Wio Bank or mentoring the next generation through Web3Ladies, Oluchi remains committed to her mission: helping others build bold careers and thrive in emerging technologies.
Oluchi’s next chapter is clear: to keep building systems that scale, communities that empower, and professionals who are ready to lead. And with her track record, it’s safe to say — she’s just getting started.
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