Flutterwave founder Olugbenga Agboola buys luxurious Miami beach home for $7.1 million

Olugbenga Agboola, CEO of Flutterwave, bought the $7.1million house from Boschetti Group.
Developer Boschetti Group bought the property for $1.2M in 2021 and sold the house for $7.1M after building a six-bedroom, seven-bathroom house on the 0.2-acre plot.

Olugbenga Agboola, the co-founder and CEO of fintech startup Flutterwave, has made a significant purchase in the luxury real estate market. According to records, Agboola recently bought a six-bedroom, seven-bathroom house in Miami Beach for $7.1 million. The property was previously owned by the Boschetti Group, a real estate development firm that purchased the plot for $1.2 million in 2021 and built the home last year.

Despite being a non-waterfront property, the house commanded a premium price, reflecting the recent trend of skyrocketing demand and prices for South Florida real estate. The COVID-19 pandemic has spurred a migration of affluent individuals and families to the area, driving up demand for historically less expensive non-waterfront properties.

Agboola, a Nigerian-born entrepreneur, founded Flutterwave in 2016 with the goal of improving the payments infrastructure for banks and global businesses. The fintech startup has since raised $474.5 million in funding and achieved a valuation of $3 billion last year. Agboola's contributions to technological advancement were recognised when he received the Nigerian National Honour Medal of the Officer of the Order of Niger in October 2022.

However, Flutterwave has recently faced challenges related to security and regulatory compliance. This week, hackers reportedly transferred over $4 million from Flutterwave accounts in Nigeria. The company's legal counsel reported the incident to the authorities, and Flutterwave sought to freeze accounts holding the stolen funds. While Flutterwave denied reports that it was hacked and that users lost funds, the incident served as a reminder of the importance of robust security measures for fintech companies.

Additionally, Flutterwave has faced regulatory obstacles in Kenya, its second-largest market after Nigeria. The country's central bank ordered local banks to sever ties with Flutterwave in July 2022, citing the company's lack of licensing and frozen accounts due to anti-money laundering laws. In December, the central bank asked Flutterwave to apply for a new operating license, and in February 2023, Agboola visited Kenya to try to lift the embargo and unfreeze over Sh6.6 billion ($60 million). While the high court dismissed an application from over 2,000 Nigerians seeking a share of the frozen funds, the situation highlights the challenges that fintech companies face as they navigate complex regulatory environments.

Despite these challenges, Agboola's purchase of a luxury Miami Beach home underscores the continued success of Flutterwave and the lavish lifestyles enjoyed by many successful entrepreneurs in the tech industry.