Adetunji Opayele, Co-founder of Bumpa, Passes Away

The African tech community is mourning the sudden loss of Adetunji Opayele, the Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of Nigerian social commerce startup Bumpa. Known to friends and colleagues as “TeeJay,” Opayele died in a car accident on March 5, 2025. His passing has left a gaping hole in the lives of those who knew him, especially his business partner and close friend, Kelvin Umechukwu.  

Umechukwu, who co-founded Bumpa with Opayele after they met as students at Obafemi Awolowo University, described the loss as one of the hardest moments of his life. “TeeJay wasn’t just my co-founder he was my brother, my partner in every fight, and a genius engineer,” he said, his words reflecting the deep bond they shared. “This is honestly one of the most painful things I’ve ever faced.”  

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Opayele’s role at Bumpa went beyond leading the company’s technology efforts. He was the driving force behind its mission to help small businesses thrive in Africa. To honor his memory, Bumpa plans to build an AI assistant named “Teejay” that will offer business insights and solve problems for users, just as he did during his time at the company. In an email to customers, Umechukwu promised that Bumpa would keep working hard to meet their needs, even without Opayele’s physical presence.  

Before Bumpa, Opayele had already made a name for himself in tech. He worked in software development in Nigeria and the U.S., founded a web hosting company called HostCabal, and even held roles at firms like E-Settlement. His passion for solving real-world problems through technology was unmatched.  

Under Opayele and Umechukwu, Bumpa grew into a powerhouse in African social commerce. In 2022, the startup raised $4 million in funding from investors like Base10 Partners and Plug & Play Ventures. That same year, it partnered with Meta (Facebook’s parent company) to let merchants manage messages from Instagram, WhatsApp, and Facebook directly on Bumpa, a game-changing feature for small businesses.  

The company also expanded its reach by buying Fyne, a beauty marketplace, in 2023 and PaperCloud two years later. Today, Bumpa employs 40 people and has helped over 60,000 small businesses process more than ₦160 billion.  

Friends and colleagues remember Opayele as someone who lived life to the fullest. Opeyemi Awoyemi, an investor in Bumpa, called him “committed, resourceful, and energetic.” “Tunji loved life and was always curious about new ideas,” Awoyemi said. “His determination inspired everyone around him.”  

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The news of Opayele’s passing has sparked an outpouring of tributes from the tech community. While his death leaves a void, his legacy lives on through Bumpa and the countless lives he touched. As Umechukwu put it, “Though he’s gone, we’ll keep his spirit alive by making sure Bumpa keeps working for you.”  

Rest in peace, TeeJay. Your work will never be forgotten.

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