After building his first startup at 19, this Babcock University graduate now heads the African subsidiary of an Indian fintech 

At 19, Miracle Nwankwo built his first startup. Today, he leads the African arm of Veefin, an Indian fintech. In this edition of After Hours, we follow his journey from student founder to CEO.

At 19, Miracle Nwankwo built BookClinic, a health-tech startup that connected patients to medical diagnostics. The product gained traction, secured investments and opened doors, one of which led to a role he never imagined this early: leading the African expansion of Veefin, a global fintech headquartered in India.

In this edition of After Hours, we follow Nwankwo’s journey from fawning over Mark Zuckerberg and his intellect to studying Computer Science at Babcock university and now evolving into a young CEO at the age of 22.

Interactions with technology 

My very first interaction with technology happened back in secondary school when our ICT lab was completed. That was the first time I really used a computer, and although it was just basic practical sessions, it opened my eyes to what computers could do.

What actually pulled me fully into the tech space was the influence of Mark Zuckerberg. I admired how he built something that changed the world and became a young billionaire while solving problems with tech. That inspired me to attempt building things too.

The first product I ever tried to create was a social media platform. It never worked out, but it marked the beginning of my interest in building with technology. From there, I kept having ideas, trying things out, and making attempts at building solutions. That curiosity and ambition became the foundation for everything I do now.

Because I was already inspired by the possibilities of technology and the success stories behind it, I made up my mind very early while still in secondary school that I was going to study Computer Science. The goal was simple: build tech solutions that millions of people would use and eventually become a billionaire.

I didn’t have any coding experience before university. I didn’t even own a laptop until I entered 100 level. But once I started, I pushed myself very hard. I relied on self-learning through platforms like YouTube, freeCodeCamp, and other online resources. I also participated in some hackathons and online tut...