Ayoola Kelani

Senior Full-Stack Software Engineer& AI Forward Deployed Engineer

I build and ship production software end to end, and I embed with teams to turn messy workflows into AI-assisted systems. Fintech, data and AI, from Lagos to Edinburgh.

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About

I work best sitting next to the people who have the problem. At Venture Garden I led the planning, testing and launch of fintech platforms that disburse and receive more than 2 million international payments across Africa and Europe, and met 100% of our SLAs by staying close to the clients who ran them.

Today I am co-founder of Owl Express, which turns WhatsApp and Instagram chats into orders, payments and deliveries for African small businesses. I also build AI features and data services in Python at Parser, and earlier trained machine learning models that cut a football club’s analysis from two weeks to 20 minutes.

I design and build software end to end: C# and .NET services, React, Vue and Angular front ends, PostgreSQL, and the CI/CD that ships it. Over a decade I have delivered 150+ web APIs and 30+ web applications, and led architecture and delivery teams across fintech, data and AI, health and IoT.

Owl Express is my current build: a .NET 10 modular monolith with a Vue 3 front end, PostgreSQL with PostGIS, RabbitMQ and automated deploys to production and test environments. It is multi-tenant, with each business’s data isolated at the query level.

2M+
international payments processed
150+
web APIs delivered
30+
web applications
10+ yrs
commercial experience

Experience

  1. Aug 2026 — Present

    Co-Founder · Owl Express Network

    Remote

    Co-founded and engineer a platform that turns WhatsApp and Instagram into an operating layer for African SMEs, converting unstructured chat into structured sales workflows.

    One adaptable core engine serves fashion, food, retail, logistics and service businesses: in-chat inquiries, instant quotes, automated payment verification and courier dispatch. Orders from both channels land on a single dashboard.

    • .NET 10
    • Vue 3
    • PostgreSQL
    • RabbitMQ
    • Docker
    • WhatsApp API
  2. Jun 2024 — Present

    Senior Software Engineer · Parser

    London, UK · Remote

    Build and maintain backend services and APIs in C# and .NET Core, and responsive front ends in React and Angular.

    Develop AI features and data-driven services in Python, and manage CI/CD pipelines, builds and deployments.

    • C#
    • .NET Core
    • React
    • Angular
    • Python
    • CI/CD
  3. Aug 2023 — Present

    Software Consultant (Contract) · Talk4Mobile

    London, UK

    Led end-to-end development and deployment of fintech platforms facilitating over 2 million international payments, with 100% SLA compliance.

    Developed five business architecture models that reduced project risk by 30%, and redesigned compliance systems for a 20% effectiveness gain within three weeks.

    • Fintech
    • Enterprise architecture
    • Compliance
    • SLA delivery
  4. Jul 2023 — Feb 2024

    Senior Software Developer · MRM Global

    Scotland, UK · Remote

    Software development and enterprise architecture.

    • Software development
    • Enterprise architecture
  5. Nov 2022 — May 2023

    Data Scientist · Middlesbrough Football Club

    Hybrid

    Built and trained machine learning models that turn football statistics into analytical data for recruitment and coaching staff.

    Removed manual processing and cut turnaround from two weeks to 20 minutes, with data cleansing, modelling and visualisation.

    • Machine learning
    • Data modelling
    • Data visualisation
  6. Oct 2021 — Dec 2022

    Senior Software Engineer · ShareForce (via Tunga, contract)

    Amsterdam, NL · Remote

    Analysed software usage metrics to drive upgrades and feature adoption, increasing ROI by 35%.

    Owned prioritisation and delivery across the lifecycle of three payment platforms, which received 90% positive feedback.

    • Payments
    • TDD
    • Agile
    • Code review
  7. Aug 2019 — Jun 2025

    Enterprise Architect (Team Lead) · Venture Garden Group

    Lagos, Nigeria · Remote

    Led the planning, testing and launch of fintech platforms for the disbursement and receipt of 2M+ international payments across Africa and Europe.

    Created five business architecture models, reducing project risk by 30%, improved compliance architecture, and met 100% of SLAs in partnership with clients.

    • Fintech
    • Enterprise architecture
    • Compliance
    • Team leadership
  8. Aug 2017 — Sep 2021

    Senior Software Engineer · Linux Foundation

    Upgraded transaction capture, cutting development time 20% and improving algorithm quality 15%. Worked with clients on system flows to reduce reported problems by 50%.

    Designed an automated test-running tool that raised productivity 30%, and trained engineers to connect functionality to business impact.

    • Automation
    • Testing
    • Mentoring

Projects

Live demo: chat to order, with AI

A customer messages a fictional shop on WhatsApp. An AI model reads the message. Prices, totals and next steps come from plain rules, the way I build Owl Express. Type your own message or pick a sample, and watch the API call beside it.

Demo Store WhatsApp, simulated
Request
POST /api/demo-order
// sent when you send a message
Response
// the structured order appears here

The shop, its prices and the replies are simulated for this demo, and the endpoint is rate limited.

Conversational commerce

Owl Express: chat-to-order platform

WhatsApp and Instagram become a sales operating layer for African SMEs. A deterministic booking engine collects order details, a dispatcher approves from a web dashboard, and proof of delivery returns to the same place.

  • .NET 10
  • Vue 3 + Quasar
  • PostgreSQL + PostGIS
  • RabbitMQ
  • Coolify
Visit owlexpress.ng
Developer platform

Owl Express Connect: messaging APIs

A partner platform with a developer sandbox, WhatsApp OTP and click-to-verify, a prepaid wallet with top-ups, payment collection, and a staff admin portal with roles and an audit trail.

  • ASP.NET
  • OTP
  • Wallet
  • Payments
  • Admin portal
Visit connect.owlexpress.ng
Fintech at scale

Cross-border payment platforms

Architecture lead for platforms that disburse and receive 2M+ international payments across Africa and Europe. Five business architecture models, compliance redesign, and 100% SLA delivery with clients. Described at a high level for client confidentiality.

  • Enterprise architecture
  • Compliance
  • SLAs
Applied ML

Football recruitment analytics

Machine learning models that turned match statistics into scouting and coaching insight, reducing turnaround from two weeks to 20 minutes.

  • Machine learning
  • Data modelling
  • Visualisation

Chronicles

Nine years of work and the technologies I used along the way. Hover a row to focus it, or swipe sideways on a phone.

  1. Linux Foundation Senior Software Engineer
    • Automation
    • Testing
    • Mentoring
  2. Venture Garden Group Enterprise Architect (Team Lead)
    • Fintech
    • Enterprise architecture
    • Compliance
    • Team leadership
  3. ShareForce (via Tunga, contract) Senior Software Engineer
    • Payments
    • TDD
    • Agile
    • Code review
  4. Middlesbrough Football Club Data Scientist
    • Machine learning
    • Data modelling
    • Data visualisation
  5. MRM Global Senior Software Developer
    • Software development
    • Enterprise architecture
  6. Talk4Mobile Software Consultant (Contract)
    • Fintech
    • Enterprise architecture
    • Compliance
    • SLA delivery
  7. Parser Senior Software Engineer
    • C#
    • .NET Core
    • React
    • Angular
    • Python
    • CI/CD
  8. Owl Express Network Co-Founder
    • .NET 10
    • Vue 3
    • PostgreSQL
    • RabbitMQ
    • Docker
    • WhatsApp API

Contact

Hiring, or want to talk about a project? Reach me on any of these, or use the form. I reply within a day or two.

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