Shola is available for hire
Hire SholaShola Dada
Verified Expert in Engineering
Data Engineer and Developer
Lagos, Nigeria
Toptal member since September 16, 2022
Bio
Shola is a senior data engineer with over five years of experience in banking, finance, advertising, and media. His expertise revolves around designing robust data pipelines and data warehouses, both on-premises and in the cloud. Shola is highly skilled in several out-of-the-box ETL and ELT tools, such as ODI, SSIS, and Talend, and is fluent in SQL, Python, and PySpark.
Portfolio
Payaza
Amazon Web Services (AWS), AWS Database Migration Service (DMS)...
Optimus Bank
Oracle, PL/SQL, Microsoft Power BI, Azure, Microsoft SQL Server, Pipelines...
NewGlobe
ClickHouse, Microsoft SQL Server, Apache Superset...
Experience
- SQL - 8 years
- Oracle - 7 years
- Data Warehousing - 5 years
- Data Engineering - 4 years
- Python - 3 years
- Azure Data Factory (ADF) - 3 years
- PySpark - 2 years
Preferred Environment
Red Hat Linux, Visual Studio Code (VS Code), IntelliJ IDEA, Podman, NetBeans, Docker, VMWare Fusion, DBeaver, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Azure
The most amazing...
...pipeline I've designed is a rule-based profiling pipeline engine that prequalifies customer salaries for mobile loan applications.
Work Experience
Data Operations Specialist
2026 - PRESENT
Payaza
- Oversaw the implementation of a data warehouse on the AWS platform.
- Revamped and implemented a governance framework for reporting and data access across the group.
- Designed and deployed resilient data pipelines using AWS Glue notebooks and script modules for a medallion architecture.
Technologies: Amazon Web Services (AWS), AWS Database Migration Service (DMS), Amazon QuickSight, PostgreSQL, MySQL, PySpark, Metabase, AWS Glue, Amazon Athena, Spark SQL, Spark, Pipelines, Data Modeling, Visual Studio Code (VS Code), Data Warehousing, Slack
Lead, Database Administrator
2025 - 2026
Optimus Bank
- Led and completed the migration of the Oracle core banking database from a single-instance deployment to an Oracle Real Application Clusters (RAC) environment.
- Spearheaded the revamp and redesign of the existing data marts central repository to a robust data warehouse.
- Deployed and implemented an adaptive business intelligence system for business teams.
Technologies: Oracle, PL/SQL, Microsoft Power BI, Azure, Microsoft SQL Server, Pipelines, Data Modeling, Visual Studio Code (VS Code), Data Warehousing
Data Quality Engineer
2025 - 2025
NewGlobe
- Migrated the reporting workload from SSRS to Apache Superset to improve data modernization and visibility in the organization.
- Oversaw the migration and upgrade of Spotlight pipeline transformations from SSIS to DBT, which improved accurate data lineage and artifacts capture.
- Oversaw the overhaul of a legacy pipeline that improved 80% latency in students' exam records reporting.
Technologies: ClickHouse, Microsoft SQL Server, Apache Superset, SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS), Bitbucket, Azure Repos, Data Build Tool (dbt), Pipelines, Data Modeling, Visual Studio Code (VS Code), Slack
Data Engineer
2024 - 2025
Seven-Up Bottling Company
- Led and concluded a data warehouse migration, reducing operational data overhead by 30%.
- Optimised legacy data pipelines, transitioning to a modern data stack, reducing data processing time by 20% and improving overall system performance.
- Spearheaded the integration of real-time data streaming, enabling faster decision-making processes and reducing data latency by 25%.
Technologies: SAP, SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS), Transact-SQL (T-SQL), SQL Server 2019, Microsoft Power BI, Navision
Artificial Intelligence and Business Intelligence Specialist
2024 - 2024
Intelfort
- Designed and deployed data pipelines for a chatbot using Azure Synapse.
- Orchestrated and deployed workflows using Power Automate to integrate data input for an AI chatbot.
- Reviewed the data maturity for several clients and helped benchmark potential growth areas, leading to a conversion of two of the clients.
Technologies: Power Automate Cloud Flow, Azure, Azure Synapse, Azure Storage, Transact-SQL (T-SQL), SQL Server 2019, Microsoft Power BI, Microsoft Copilot Studio, Excel 365, Data Processing
SSRS Reports Developer
2023 - 2024
Syngenta
- Developed and deployed new reports according to the specifications of Figma templates.
- Tracked and fixed bugs using Jira as a reporting tool.
- Redesigned, optimized, and deployed over 25 dashboard reports that accommodated more workloads and report TAT.
Technologies: SQL, SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS), SSRS Reports, Dashboards, Microsoft Power BI, PostgreSQL, Data Analysis, GIS, Microsoft Report Builder, DAX, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Data Visualization, Excel 365, Data Processing, Slack
Data Engineer
2022 - 2023
Ringier
- Developed and improved an ontology object, namely a data dictionary that monitors all relevant attributes in the advertising section.
- Tracked and fixed bugs in the pipelines. Conducted analysis using Jira.
- Integrated a new data source, Yieldlove, into the enterprise data warehouse.
- Participated in the GAM (Google Ad manager) migration.
Technologies: PySpark, Foundry, Data Lineage, Ontology Framework, Data Engineering, Spark SQL, Spark, Python, Data Preparation, Pipelines, Data Analysis, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Data Visualization, Excel 365, Data Processing, Slack
Data Engineer and Data Analyst
2019 - 2022
UBA Group
- Designed a rule-based profiling pipeline that prequalified income earners for loans, ramping to over 10 billion Nigerian nairas within a year of product launch.
- Created data pipeline APIs and packages for integration with the core banking system. It is the main data API for onboarding new customers on the platform, with over 1 million customers onboarded within two months of launching the product.
- Designed and automated a compliance streaming data pipeline, with daily data transmissions of over 20 million records, ensuring regulatory compliance.
- Designed and deployed data pipelines using Azure ADF/ Synapse for customer risk and customer churn model. Averted approximately 75% loss of the predicted churn customers.
- Designed and migrated low and non-infraction data workload and data pipelines of the data warehouse to Azure.
Technologies: SQL, PL/SQL, Python, SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS), PostgreSQL, Oracle, Azure Data Factory (ADF), Azure Databricks, Azure Synapse, Windows, Anaconda, Spyder, MySQL, Data Structures, Databases, Automation, SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS), Talend, Microsoft Power BI, Linux, ETL, Azure SQL Data Warehouse, Dedicated SQL Pool (formerly SQL DW), Data Engineering, Data Warehousing, Azure Data Lake, Data Pipelines, Microsoft SQL Server, Data Preparation, Azure, Pipelines, Power Query, Data Analysis, Microsoft Report Builder, DAX, Data Visualization, Oracle PL/SQL, Oracle Apps, Excel 365, SSRS Reports, Dashboards, Data Modeling, Data Processing, Azure Storage, Transact-SQL (T-SQL), SQL Server 2019
Business Intelligence Developer and Analyst
2017 - 2019
Guaranty Trust Bank
- Managed, maintained, reviewed, and ensured optimal execution of already developed ETL pipelines and workflows and designed new data pipelines and workflows per business needs.
- Designed dashboards and reports for several business units, measuring several metrics and performance.
- Managed, maintained, and monitored all business intelligence platforms to ensure 100% uptime availability for users.
- Revamped and designed data pipelines for migrating the on-premise CRM suite to the cloud.
Technologies: SQL, Oracle, MySQL, PL/SQL, SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS), SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS), Oracle Data Integrator (ODI), Windows, PostgreSQL, Data Structures, Databases, Automation, Python, Talend, Linux, ETL, Data Engineering, Data Warehousing, Data Pipelines, Microsoft SQL Server, Data Preparation, Azure, Pipelines, Data Analysis, Microsoft Report Builder, Data Visualization, Oracle PL/SQL, Oracle Apps, Excel 365, SSRS Reports, Dashboards, Data Modeling, Data Processing, Transact-SQL (T-SQL), SQL Server 2019
IT Intern
2013 - 2013
Fast Data Nigeria Limited
- Managed and maintained the firm's network and ensured the uptime of systems and applications.
- Provided support for all OMR machines and performed regular tests and checks.
- Designed and developed graphic walkthrough documentation.
Technologies: Optical Character Recognition (OCR)
Experience
ClickCredit
A personal loan product for customers with salaries. I designed the data pipeline that harvested and filtered customers and then prequalified their salaries using predefined rules in line with the terms and conditions of the product.
Automated Collection System for UBA and CBN
An automated data collection system for relevant government collections. I designed the extraction package for different collections, such as withholding tax, stamp duty, and NESS, accepted on behalf of the government through several channels.
CBN Industry Data Harmonization
A consolidated transaction collection system aimed at a central repository for regulatory reporting, reconciliation, and audit. I designed a data extraction package that transmitted a select customer's transaction to CBN's intermediary (NIBBS) in the predefined JSON format.
UBA Open Digital Banking Platform
A digital platform that incorporates a 360° view of all customers' e-channel adoption. As the data engineer, I developed the package that integrated with the core banking system and aided onboarding and other additional functionality checks.
Education
2010 - 2015
Bachelor of Science Degree in Computer Science
University of Ibadan - Ibadan, Nigeria
Certifications
JUNE 2026 - PRESENT
LFS158: Introduction to Kubernetes
Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF)
MARCH 2026 - PRESENT
LFS101: Introduction to Linux
The Linux Foundation
SEPTEMBER 2025 - SEPTEMBER 2027
KCNA: Kubernetes and Cloud Native Associate
The Linux Foundation
DECEMBER 2023 - DECEMBER 2024
Data Engineering on Microsoft Azure
Microsoft
Skills
Libraries/APIs
PySpark
Tools
Microsoft Power BI, Microsoft Report Builder, Spyder, Slack, Spark SQL, Power Query, GIS, Navision, IntelliJ IDEA, Bitbucket, Amazon QuickSight, AWS Glue, Amazon Athena
Paradigms
ETL, Automation, Microservices
Platforms
Windows, Oracle, Azure, MacOS, Anaconda, Oracle Data Integrator (ODI), Talend, Azure Synapse, Linux, Azure SQL Data Warehouse, Dedicated SQL Pool (formerly SQL DW), Amazon Web Services (AWS), Power Automate Cloud Flow, Microsoft Copilot Studio, Red Hat Linux, Visual Studio Code (VS Code), NetBeans, Docker, Kubernetes
Storage
PL/SQL, SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS), Data Pipelines, Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle PL/SQL, MySQL, Databases, PostgreSQL, SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS), Azure Storage, SQL Server 2019, DBeaver, ClickHouse
Languages
SQL, Python, Scala, Transact-SQL (T-SQL)
Frameworks
Ontology Framework, Spark
Other
Azure Data Factory (ADF), Data Engineering, Data Warehousing, Data Preparation, Pipelines, SSRS Reports, Data Analysis, Excel 365, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Data Structures, Azure Data Lake, DAX, Data Visualization, Azure Databricks, Optical Character Recognition (OCR), Foundry, Data Lineage, Dashboards, Data Modeling, Data Processing, Oracle Apps, SAP, Podman, VMWare Fusion, Apache Superset, Azure Repos, Data Build Tool (dbt), AWS Database Migration Service (DMS), Metabase, Minikube, Container Orchestration
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