In this exclusive interview with Coinafrica, Lotachi Anidi shares her journey from engineering to product design and breaks down what’s really driving crypto adoption in Africa.
From building Onboard to navigating trust, regulation, and user behavior, she offers a grounded perspective beyond the hype.
Q: Who is Lotachi Anidi?
Lotachi:
Professionally, I’m a designer who has been building in fintech for about six years, mostly working on emerging technologies.
I worked at Bamboo and later joined the team building products at Nestcoin, where I led design on Onboard — a product we built and evolved over several years.
Personally, I grew up in Enugu, studied Electrical Engineering at FUTO, and I’m currently based in Abuja. Outside work, I enjoy activities like swimming, skating, and tennis.
Q: How did you transition from engineering to product design?
Lotachi:
I was always curious about how the internet works — how people build things online.
During university, I took a small software development course, and that sparked my interest. From there, I gradually moved deeper into the tech space and eventually focused on product design.
Q: Why did you leave Onboard despite crypto adoption growing in Africa?
Lotachi:
It wasn’t about anything internal. I had been working there for a long time — since university — and I had developed a strong “zero-to-one” mindset.
At some point, you just feel the need to explore new things and work on your own ideas. That was the main driver.
Q: What was one of the hardest problems you worked on at Onboard?
Lotachi:
The biggest challenge was merging traditional finance with decentralized finance.
We were building something that wasn’t quite a bank and not just a crypto wallet either. The challenge was simplifying complex systems for both crypto-native users and everyday users.
Balancing those two audiences is an ongoing problem — it never really gets fully solved.
Q: People say design builds trust. What does that actually mean in practice?
Lotachi:
Trust goes beyond UI. It includes branding, communication, and whether the company delivers on its promises.
Before users even download your app, they’ve already formed opinions based on reputation, word of mouth, and leadership.
Then every touchpoint — onboarding, support, transactions — reinforces or breaks that trust. You have to consistently deliver on what you promise.
Q: If you audit a crypto app in 10 minutes, what shows it understands African users?
Lotachi:
First, can I even sign up from Nigeria?
Second, does it support local payment methods?
Third, is there responsive customer support?
If those are missing, the product likely isn’t built with African users in mind.
See more related: “We Cannot Lose the New System” — SEC DG Signals Nigeria’s Shift on Crypto
Q: Stripping away hype — where is crypto actually useful in Africa today?
Lotachi:
Global payments.
Before crypto, Africans relied on platforms like PayPal or Wise — and access could be restricted at any time.
Crypto removes those barriers. It enables cheaper, faster cross-border payments and gives people access to global financial systems without relying on centralized platforms.
That’s the most practical and impactful use case today.
Q: What’s one wrong narrative about crypto in Africa?
Lotachi:
The idea that Africans in crypto are mostly scammers.
That stereotype existed for a long time, but it’s changing. There are many legitimate builders and users in the space today.
Q: What happens if a founder says, “We’ll fix trust later”?
Lotachi:
They probably won’t say it directly, but you’ll see it in their decisions.
If trust isn’t a priority, then there’s likely a misalignment — and you may not be a good fit to work together.
Q: What do designers often get wrong in fintech products?
Lotachi:
Trying to reinvent everything.
In financial products, familiarity builds trust. It’s often better to use patterns people already understand before introducing new ideas.
Q: Are African designers underutilized globally?
Lotachi:
At the top level, African designers are extremely competitive globally.
But like any industry, newcomers may still be underprepared. It’s not unique to Africa.
Q: What’s next for you?
Lotachi:
I’m in an exploration phase — refining my craft and moving toward building my own things.
Q: Who wins long-term in Africa — banks, fintechs, or crypto-native players?
Lotachi:
No single group wins alone.
Banks, fintechs, and crypto players all need each other. But crypto-native infrastructure has the potential to unlock speed, lower costs, and broader access.
Key Takeaways
- Crypto’s strongest use case in Africa is global payments
- Trust is the foundation of any financial product
- African users need localization, access, and support
The future is collaborative, not winner-takes-all
