Quick Fire 🔥 with Gbolahan Adebayo

In a small, bustling street in Lagos, a food vendor meticulously prepares her daily offerings of jollof rice and puff-puff. On some days, the entire street converges on her stand, devouring her delicacies before noon. On other days, she's left with a surplus, having overestimated the demand. Her plight is a stark reminder of the importance of making informed decisions based on data. Gbolahan Adebayo, a Senior Data Analyst at Sanlam FinTech in Johannesburg, South Africa, has dedicated his career to helping businesses like the food vendor make data-driven decisions.

Adebayo's job is to "quietly remember everything" for his clients, gathering insights from complex data and presenting them in a clear, actionable format through visualization. He has worked with various companies across Nigeria, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates, Singapore, and the United States, building dashboards and analytics infrastructure that help businesses make informed decisions. In 2025, Adebayo was recognized as a Tableau Visionary, one of 46 individuals globally recognized as leaders in the Tableau community, and was re-selected in 2026.

People often perceive business intelligence as solely about building visually appealing dashboards, but Adebayo reveals that this is only the tip of the iceberg. In reality, his day-to-day work involves "detective work and translation of business questions." He spends a significant amount of time asking basic questions, such as "if this number moved, what would you actually do?" This process helps him understand the stakeholders' needs and identify the most critical information to present. Adebayo also acknowledges the importance of "saying no", deciding what deserves to be shown and what doesn't.

Adebayo's work involves cleaning and chasing down discrepancies between systems, often caused by minor errors or inconsistencies. He highlights the need for attention to detail and a willingness to dig deeper to uncover the root cause of the issue. This aspect of his job is often overlooked, but it's a crucial part of delivering accurate and reliable insights.

For those interested in pursuing a career in business intelligence analytics, Adebayo recommends starting with a free tool and a real question. He suggests beginning with SQL, as it's the "actual workhorse," and then moving on to visualization. This approach will help individuals develop a solid foundation in data analysis and visualization.

As I read through Adebayo's responses, I'm struck by the complexity and nuance of his work. He's not just a data analyst; he's a problem-solver, a detective, and a translator. His ability to distill complex information into actionable insights is evidence of his skills and experience. As I reflect on his words, I'm reminded of the importance of attention to detail and the need to ask the right questions. Business intelligence analytics, Adebayo's work is a shining example of what it means to be a true professional. His dedication to delivering accurate and reliable insights is a hallmark of his craft, and his willingness to share his knowledge and expertise is evidence of his commitment to the field.

• Gbolahan Adebayo is a Senior Data Analyst at Sanlam FinTech in Johannesburg, South Africa.
• He was named a Tableau Visionary in 2025 and re-selected in 2026.
• Adebayo has worked with various companies across Nigeria, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates, Singapore, and the United States.
• He recommends starting with SQL and a real question for those interested in pursuing a career in business intelligence analytics.

As I close this article, I'm left with a sense of awe for the complexity and beauty of business intelligence analytics. Adebayo's work is a reminder that data is not just a collection of numbers and statistics; it's a powerful tool that can help businesses make informed decisions and drive growth.