Adetola Onayemi is the co-founder and CEO of Norebase, a digital infrastructure startup that enables individuals to easily scale their businesses. Tola studied law at the University of Lagos, graduating with first-class honors, and went on to earn his master’s degree at Cambridge before founding Norebase.
The Vision for Borderless Business
Tola Onayemi co-founded Norebase with the goal of creating a 360-degree business launchpad that handles everything needed for a company to launch in a new African country, such as business registrations, opening bank accounts, compliance, and license acquisition. The platform enables businesses to start, scale, and operate in the United States, the United Kingdom, the British Virgin Islands, and throughout Africa, allowing them to incorporate and meet regulatory compliance obligations from the comfort of their own homes.
Cross-border infrastructure development
Under Onayemi’s leadership, Norebase has established itself as a global player in the trade tech space with its incorporation-as-a-service plugin, which is currently serving businesses incorporating in Nigeria, the United States, and Kenya via partnerships with nine companies. Along with competitors such as Firstbase, the platform is one of the few companies that provide such comprehensive cross-border business solutions.
Under Onayemi’s leadership, Norebase has grown transaction volumes by 100% month on month and revenue by 40% month on month over the last six months, demonstrating Africa’s strong demand for cross-border business services.
Successful Fundraising
Onayemi successfully raised $1 million in seed funding in May 2022, co-led by Samurai Incubate and Consonance Investment, putting Norebase on track for growth in African markets. The funding round included contributions from notable individuals from Paystack, Piggyvest, MTN Nigeria, and Ventures Platform.
Strategic Vision for Africa
Onayemi’s vision for Norebase is to help startups start, build, and scale across Africa, addressing the significant barriers that businesses face when expanding across borders. His approach views Africa as a unified business ecosystem, rather than a collection of disparate markets.
Thought Leadership and Industry Recognition
Onayemi has been recognized as a leader in assisting African businesses to expand across borders through digital platforms, frequently speaking about the future of cross-border business operations in Africa and the need for unified regulatory frameworks.
Academic Excellence and Professional Background
With a First Class Law degree from the University of Lagos and a master’s from Cambridge, Onayemi brings strong analytical and regulatory expertise to the cross-border business space, which is critical for navigating complex international compliance requirements.
