For many young Nigerians, financial freedom increasingly means finding ways to earn, save, send and manage money beyond the traditional banking system. At the centre of this shift is a growing generation of young entrepreneurs building businesses around fintech and cryptocurrency — and Benedine Ernest is one of them.

Ernest is the chief executive of BennyBit, a fintech platform that enables users to receive money from abroad, manage USD accounts, buy and sell cryptocurrency, send money and make fast payments. She has built a name for herself in Nigeria's crypto space, emerging as one of the country's prominent female crypto vendors. Nigeria has grown into one of Africa's most active fintech and cryptocurrency markets, with platforms like BennyBit's sitting at the intersection of the country's large diaspora remittance flows and a young, digitally native population managing money across borders. Her journey also reflects a broader shift in an industry historically dominated by men, with more young women now building businesses and careers around blockchain, cryptocurrency and financial technology.

Beyond running BennyBit, Ernest — who documents her journey on Instagram — describes herself as an entrepreneur passionate about business, technology and building products that solve real problems. “I’m passionate about business, tech, and building things that people can actually use,” she says in a Tech Trivia interview with TechNext24.

Her approach to entrepreneurship is rooted in curiosity and growth. She enjoys learning, experimenting with new ideas turning them into practical solutions, while embracing the process of figuring things out along the way. That journey has made her a source of inspiration for many young Nigerians, particularly women who see her career as an example of what is possible when technology, entrepreneurship and financial ambition come together.

A structured day, fuelled by music

Ernest's routine begins simply. “I wake up, pray, get into work, drink my water, and start my day,” she says.

Her gadget setup is “pretty straightforward,” though there is a lot going on. She keeps three phones — two used mainly for work and one for personal use — alongside a laptop and an iPad, which she alternates between depending on what she is working on. A handful of other devices, especially her headphones, make her workday easier.

“I like having different devices for different things because it helps me stay organised and separate work from my personal life,” she explains. Music is also a big part of her work routine, so something is always playing in the background while she works.

Asked to name her favourite gadget, her answer is immediate: “My laptop.”

Still so much to build

Entrepreneurs on YouTube keep her motivated. “I watch people on YouTube doing crazy things with their businesses and making in a day what some people make in a year,” she says. “It reminds me there’s still so much to build.”

If she could build any app, she says, it would be the BBIT Mobile App — a single platform that puts all the features users need in one place. “I’d honestly build it myself, and I’d get it done in no time,” she adds. For now, it remains her stated ambition — one to watch in an increasingly competitive Nigerian fintech market, where consolidation of payments, dollar accounts and crypto services into a single app has become a familiar goal.

Her broader ambition is to create more opportunities for young people to make money, learn valuable skills and build something of their own, regardless of where they come from.

Inspired by Okonjo-Iweala

When it comes to role models, Ernest points to Nigerian economist and Director-General of the World Trade Organization, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

“Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala inspires me because of her intelligence, resilience, and the impact she has made globally,” she says. “I admire how she has built a career in spaces where women, especially African women, are often underestimated. Her journey reminds me that your background does not have to limit how far you can go.

“I also respect how she combines knowledge with action and continues to represent Africa on a global stage. She motivates me to think bigger, stay consistent, and take myself seriously.

“More than anything, her story shows me that you can be successful, break barriers, and still create opportunities for others along the way.”

A guiding thought, she says, is that “your life can change completely in one decision” — a reminder that sometimes all it takes is the courage to make a move.

Asked to name a woman in tech she would like to meet, Ernest says she has no particular person in mind yet, but would love to discover more women in tech and learn about their journeys.