By Ghazali Ibrahim
Julian Dumebi Duru, the Principal Software Engineer at Moniepoint, has officially retired at the age of 28, capping off a 10-year journey that helped shape Moniepoint.
Duru, who joined Moniepoint (formerly TeamApt) in 2015, is credited with pioneering the concept of virtual accounts, a now-standard feature across fintech platforms across the continent.
His retirement comes shortly after Moniepoint hit a $1 billion valuation, following a $110 million funding round led by global investors, including Google.
A graduate of the International School, Lagos (ISL) and an alumnus of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Duru ranked 8th nationally in the 2009 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
He began coding at the age of 14, taking on freelance jobs before a referral in 2015 connected him to Tosin Eniolorunda, Moniepoint’s Co-founder and CEO.
His early days at the company were not without struggle. He reportedly considered quitting after just three months following a challenging project for Fidelity Bank.
“It was my first major project, and it exposed how much I didn’t know. It was overwhelming,” he once recalled.
Instead of quitting, Duru pivoted, finding his niche in DevOps.
Starting as a Lead Software Engineer in February 2015, Duru rose steadily through the ranks: Automation Engineer in 2017, Product Manager in 2018, Software Architect in 2023, Principal Engineer in 2024.
Throughout this journey, he remained a central figure in Moniepoint’s explosive growth. With over 10 million active users and increasing investor confidence, Moniepoint has grown into one of Africa’s leading fintech companies.
Following the latest funding round and Unicorn status, Duru is believed to be walking away with at least $850,000 (N1.3 billion) in equity.
Although officially retiring, Duru clarified he isn’t stepping away from tech altogether. He plans to take a short break before focusing on his AI startup*, which he describes as a “passion project.”
“I stayed at Moniepoint all these years despite countless poaching attempts because they cared about me as a human—not just what I could build,” Duru shared.
His departure has been met with celebration and admiration on social media, with colleagues, tech enthusiasts, and startup founders lauding his contributions to Nigeria’s digital economy.
