Zakaria Ali Osman - Consultant

Q: Where is Zakaria based?

Zakaria is based in Nairobi, Kenya .

Q: What languages does Zakaria speak?

Zakaria speaks the following languages: English (Advanced), Arabic (Intermediate), Somali (Elementary) .

Q: How many years of experience does Zakaria have?

Zakaria has at least 14 years of experience. During this time, Zakaria has worked in at least 7 different roles and for 8 different companies . The average length of individual experience is 2 years and 7 months . Note that Zakaria may not have shared all experience and actually has more experience.

Q: What is Zakaria's latest experience?

Zakaria's most recent position is Consultant at Salaam Bank .

Q: What companies has Zakaria worked for in recent years?

In recent years, Zakaria has worked for Salaam Bank , Seeto , Faras , Turath , and Waafi .

Q: Which industries is Zakaria most experienced in?

Zakaria is most experienced in industries like Information Technology , Education , and Banking and Finance . Zakaria also has some experience in Media and Entertainment , Transportation , and Energy .

Q: Which business areas is Zakaria most experienced in?

Zakaria is most experienced in business areas like Information Technology , Product Development , and Project Management . Zakaria also has some experience in Operations and Strategy .

Q: Which industries has Zakaria worked in recently?

Zakaria has recently worked in industries like Banking and Finance , Information Technology , and Education .

Q: Which business areas has Zakaria worked in recently?

Zakaria has recently worked in business areas like Information Technology , Product Development , and Project Management .

Recommended expert

Nairobi, Kenya

Check rate

Experience

Jan 2024 - Present

2 years 5 months

Nairobi, Kenya

Consultant

Salaam Bank

Currently leading the end-to-end development of SalaamPay, an innovative fintech application encompassing advanced mobile wallet features and core banking functionalities.
Guiding architectural and technical decisions for a secure, scalable, and compliant digital banking solution, aligning with strategic business objectives.

Jan 2024 - Present

2 years 5 months

Core Founder/CEO

Seeto

Currently leading the vision, strategy, and technical architecture as Founder & CEO of Seeto, an innovative exchange platform designed to connect service providers and customers in a dynamic, real-time marketplace model.
Driving product roadmap definition, technology stack selection, and cultivating a high-growth startup culture aimed at disrupting traditional service delivery.
Focusing on scalability, user experience, and robust backend infrastructure for seamless interactions.

Jan 2023 - Present

3 years 5 months

Nairobi, Kenya

Consultant

Faras

Spearheaded a team in the strategic rebuilding and optimization of core rider-facing systems, focusing on highly performant and scalable location synchronization and intelligent trip assignment for a critical real-time platform.
Contributed to enhancing operational efficiency and platform resilience through architectural guidance and technical leadership.

Jan 2023 - Present

3 years 5 months

Volunteer Developer

Turath

Built and maintain Turath, a digital platform dedicated to hosting lectures from prominent Somali Islamic scholars, contributing to the preservation and dissemination of cultural and religious knowledge.
Focuses on robust content delivery for audio lectures.

Aug 2021 - Dec 2023

2 years 5 months

Hargeisa, Somalia

Developer Manager

Waafi

Led a high-performing engineering team in the comprehensive renovation of critical backend systems, including robust money transfer services and real-time chatting functionalities.
Played a pivotal role in architectural decision-making, resulting in significant improvements to system performance, stability, and maintainability.

Jan 2019 - Present

7 years 5 months

Volunteer Developer

Thahabi Project

Conceived, designed, and developed an online Islamic book library, currently hosting over 29,000 books, providing comprehensive and accessible literary resources to a global community.
Managed full project lifecycle, including content management, database design, and platform maintenance.

Jun 2018 - Jul 2021

3 years 2 months

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Principal Engineer

Taaj

Hired, mentored, and led a full team of five software engineers in the architecting and development of Taaj Online (Paysii), a groundbreaking payment processing platform.
Achieved a rapid launch of the core application to production within a challenging four-month timeframe, demonstrating exceptional product delivery management and team leadership in a high-growth environment.
Designed, developed, and implemented a highly complex and sophisticated fraud detection and prevention system, ensuring full compliance with stringent industry regulations (e.g., PCI-DSS readiness, AML/KYC principles).

Apr 2015 - May 2018

3 years 2 months

Software Engineer

Safarifone

Contributed to the full software development lifecycle for key enterprise systems, including a contacts backup system, the Beco Smart Meter, and the Waafi e-commerce platform.
Trained and mentored eight junior software engineers, significantly contributing to team capability development and code quality standards.

Mar 2011 - Mar 2014

3 years 1 month

Freelance Web Developer & Project Lead

Independently designed, developed, and launched multiple full-stack web applications, including an Islamic content platform and a dynamic news portal, showcasing early expertise in diverse web solutions.
Conceived and built the 'Aqoonyahan' project, an integrated online learning platform combined with a job posting site, managing all aspects from ideation to deployment.

Industry Experience

See where this freelancer has spent most of their professional time.

Experienced in Information Technology, Education, Banking and Finance, Media and Entertainment, Transportation, and Energy.

Information Technology

Education

Banking and Finance

Media and Entertainment

Transportation

Energy

Business Area Experience

See which departments and functions this freelancer has contributed to most.

Experienced in Information Technology, Product Development, Project Management, Operations, and Strategy.

Information Technology

Product Development

Project Management

Operations

Strategy

Summary

Highly accomplished and results-driven Principle Engineer with 10+ years of progressive experience, including 5+ years leading high-performing technical teams and proven success as a Founder & CEO in dynamic FinTech and startup environments. Demonstrated expertise in defining and executing IT strategy, driving architectural decisions for scalable core banking, remittance platforms, and innovative marketplace systems. Deep understanding of PCI-DSS, AML/KYC, and data protection standards, combined with extensive experience in microservices, cloud technologies (e.g., Kubernates, Docker, AWS, GCP, and Oracle Cloud), and complex fraud prevention systems. Adept at fostering cross-functional collaboration, ensuring robust security, overseeing the full SDLC, and empowering teams to deliver innovative, impactful financial solutions. My direct experience within East African financial ecosystems.

Skills

Programming Languages:

Golang
Node Js
Python
Java
C#

Frameworks & Libraries:

Databases:

Postgresql
Mysql
Mongodb
Sql Server
Redis
Etc

Cloud Platforms:

Aws
Azure
Gcp
Aws (Ec2, S3, Rds, Lambda, Vpc, Sqs, Sns, Route 53, Cloudwatch)
Azure (Virtual Machines, Blob Storage, Cosmos Db, Azure Functions)
Gcp (Compute Engine, Cloud Storage, Bigquery, Firebase)

Devops & Tools:

Docker
Kubernetes
Jenkins
Githup And Gitlab Ci/Cd
Circleci
Terraform
Ansible
Git
Jira
Confluence
Grafana
Prometheus

Architecture & Design:

Microservices Architecture
Restful Apis
Event-Driven Architecture
Distributed Systems
Scalability
System Reliability
High Availability
System Design
Enterprise Architecture
Marketplace Platforms
Real-Time Systems

Fintech Specific:

Core Banking Systems
Remittance Platforms
Mobile Wallets
Payment Gateways
Fraud Detection & Prevention
Digital Onboarding
Lending Systems
Open Banking

Compliance & Security:

Pci-Dss
Aml/Kyc
Gdpr
Data Protection
Secure Coding Practices
Threat Modeling
Vulnerability Management

Methodologies:

Agile (Scrum, Kanban)
Lean
Full Software Development Lifecycle (Sdlc)

Operating Systems:

Linux
Windows
Macos

Languages

English

Advanced

Arabic

Intermediate

Somali

Elementary

Education

Jobkey University

Bachelor of Computer Science · Computer Science · Mogadishu, Somalia

Statistics

Experience

Total positions 9

Experience in Information Technology 13.5 y

Avg length 3 y 4 m

Longest experience 7 y 4 m

Global Experience

Countries worked in 3 (Kenya, Somalia, United Arab Emirates)

Primary country Kenya

Expertise

Recent roles Consultant, Core Founder/CEO, Volunteer Developer

Main industries Information Technology, Education, Banking and Finance

Main business areas Information Technology, Product Development, Project Management

Qualifications

Highest degree Bachelor

Profile

Created

June 2025

Last Update

June 2025

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Frequently asked questions

Have questions? Find more information here.

Where is Zakaria based?

Zakaria is based in Nairobi, Kenya.

What languages does Zakaria speak?

Zakaria speaks the following languages: English (Advanced), Arabic (Intermediate), Somali (Elementary).

How many years of experience does Zakaria have?

Zakaria has at least 14 years of experience. During this time, Zakaria has worked in at least 7 different roles and for 8 different companies. The average length of individual experience is 2 years and 7 months. Note that Zakaria may not have shared all experience and actually has more experience.

What roles would Zakaria be best suited for?

Based on recent experience, Zakaria would be well-suited for roles such as: Consultant, Core Founder/CEO, Volunteer Developer.

What is Zakaria's latest experience?

Zakaria's most recent position is Consultant at Salaam Bank.

What companies has Zakaria worked for in recent years?

In recent years, Zakaria has worked for Salaam Bank, Seeto, Faras, Turath, and Waafi.

Which industries is Zakaria most experienced in?

Zakaria is most experienced in industries like Information Technology, Education, and Banking and Finance. Zakaria also has some experience in Media and Entertainment, Transportation, and Energy.

Which business areas is Zakaria most experienced in?

Zakaria is most experienced in business areas like Information Technology, Product Development, and Project Management. Zakaria also has some experience in Operations and Strategy.

Which industries has Zakaria worked in recently?

Zakaria has recently worked in industries like Banking and Finance, Information Technology, and Education.

Which business areas has Zakaria worked in recently?

Zakaria has recently worked in business areas like Information Technology, Product Development, and Project Management.

What is Zakaria's education?

Zakaria holds a Bachelor in Computer Science from Jobkey University.

What is the availability of Zakaria?

Zakaria is immediately available full-time for suitable projects.

What is the rate of Zakaria?

Zakaria's rate depends on the specific project requirements. Please use the Meet button on the profile to schedule a meeting and discuss the details.