For many young Nigerians, the ability to enjoy affordable nightlife, make money and have unfiltered conversation was a privilege, not a given right. However, PiggyVest's 31-year-old co-founder, Odunayo Iweniyi, has been able to break down these barriers by democratizing entertainment, financial access, and a real voice, understanding that these privileges need to become the norm for his generation.
Evaniye is solving demographics, inequality, and access to information, three big things that Morgan Housel, author of The Psychology of Money, says “are worth paying attention to, because they are core influencers of many other topics.”
On Frontier Matters, a podcast hosted by Faye Fawehinmi and Toby Lawson, Iweniyi explained that the creation of these ventures stemmed from understanding the frustrations young people face.
“I think young people, whether one agrees or not, are probably the most disadvantaged market in Nigeria and the entire continent,” Odun said.
The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), defines a young person as anyone aged 15–34. According to NBS, by 2021, the estimated number of youth in this age group is 95 million.
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Building for the youth means understanding what their problem is. I want to talk. I want someone who will represent me in the media. I want to be able to entertain myself on a low budget. And I also want to be able to save and store my money,” Ewenyi said.
Evenyi also uses her influence and resources to intentionally lift up other women and build the female experience.
According to the Nigerian Financial Services Market Report in 2023, only 10 percent of Nigerians earn above N100,000; This means necessities are out of reach for many, leave alone saving and partying.
PiggyVest, with approximately seven million customers, transformed the culture of savings among Nigerians aged 18 to 35 from a luxury to a habit of the masses. The scale of the platform is evident from its H1 2025 data: users saved more than N47,000 every second, and PiggyVest paid out more than N2.6 trillion to customers in that period.
“So, when you think about PigWest, which started 10 years ago, it's because this population was largely ignored when you think about the financial services ecosystem, right?
At that time, I wanted to invest in treasury bills, but they would ask you to bring one million naira; However, now you can do it for cheaper on PiggyVest,” she said.
Jolaoluwa Isaac, a 19-year-old UI-UX designer, said, “Before PiggyVest, I thought saving was only for high-paid people. Now, I have a future. They made it a success with their SafeLock product, which allows me to autosave and earn 20 percent per year.”
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all the waves are angry
Outside of clubs, bars and lounges, the barrier to entry into Lagos nightlife is high. Even more so for young Nigerians, who love to party and earn enough, but due to lack of options, going out at night can be a financial blow.
With Group Therapy, a pop-up rave party that is making waves, Odun has teamed up with Aderinsola Ogala (DJ Aniko) to create not only an affordable alternative to partying, but a community that accommodates over 3,000 people at each rave held at different venues. It's no surprise that early bird tickets sell out within minutes of being released.
“I can't spend N750,000 for entertainment every weekend. I'll go bankrupt. And by doing that, it means you're telling me I can't be entertained. I really love going out. And so, the next step is for us to build communities and parties that meet our needs. And, you know what, music is all about it,” Odun said on the podcast.
Group Therapy has sold out its first parties across the country including Ibadan and the UK.
“I love building for my generation. I love building for my people. I love building for young people. And they, whether one agrees with it or not, are probably the most underserved market in Nigeria and the entire continent.”
Also read: Piggyvest pays customers N2.6trn in six months
Odun is also the co-founder of Carousel Networks, a media network that hosts the popular 'I Said What I Said' (ISWIS Podcast) with Jola Aye.
“And it also comes on the podcast network. This is our voice as young people, our voice as women. We are not heard. And you just need to take a look at Nigerian politics, who controls the economy, who controls whatever. You rarely see young people properly, appropriately represented,” she said.
The true power of Odunayo Iweniyi's work lies not in the individual success of any savings app, investment platform or single party series, but in the synergy of all three. He recognized that financial aspiration, social inclusion, and the need for genuine representation are not separate items on a young person's checklist; They are inextricably linked.
“Each of these big things will have a profound impact on the coming decades because they are both transformative and ubiquitous. They affect almost everyone, albeit in different ways,” Housel said in his 2022 blog post.
PiggyVest provides the foundation-discipline and tools for building wealth. Group therapy provides needed release and community, proving that even in a high-cost city, a fulfilling life can be both affordable and comprehensive. And her commitment to collaborating with and leading other women ensures that the voice guiding these standards is authentic and reflective of the generation she serves.
