I describe Fisayo Osilaja, a Lagos-based UX researcher at the Nigerian payments company Interswitch, as an occasional daredevil. On a mountain hiking trip in Sydney, Australia recently, Osilaja joined her colleagues to jump off a cliff into a lake.
“It felt like I was falling for hours, but in reality, it was probably five seconds,” she recalled.
When I asked her if this was the craziest thing she’d ever done, she blurted, “Yes!”
“But I’m never trying that again.”
Despite her tendency to seek out adventure, Osilaja did not appreciate the kind that many years ago, disrupted her childhood.
“When I was nine years old, my mother took my brother and I to Nigeria,” she said. “Growing up in the States (Osilaja was born in Los Angeles, California), our parents made sure we stayed aware of our Nigerian roots. But this time, when we travelled to Nigeria, we thought it was for a summer vacation—but it wasn’t. We got enrolled in boarding school that week. That’s how I grew up in Nigeria.”
Initially, Osilaja disliked living in Nigeria. The thought of spending many years of her life in the country made her shudder.
“It was a tough adjustment for me. The cultural difference weighed heavily. My mannerisms were different, and it didn’t win me a lot of friends. And then, there was the lack of infrastructure [like electricity] that we were used to as kids,” she recalled.
It took a year, but eventually, she got used to life in Nigeria. It was here, in Nigeria, that she discovered her love for UX research.
I spoke to Osilaja about her career, travels, and upbringing.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
What is UX research? Can you explain your job to me as if I were 5?
I’d guess that five-year-olds use mobile applications now because I see some of them with their tablets. So, I’d show them an app and explain that while using it, they might face issues. For example, if they’re on YouTube trying to find a video, they might face certain issues looking up the videos or playing them.
As a UX researcher, I try to understand how to make that process more seamless for you to navigate or find your way around. My work helps businesses make these apps that kids love. Everybody is happy because the businesses make money. So it’s a win-win on both sides.
What inspired you to become a digital nomad?
I have a dream lifestyle, and I’m willing to do whatever work brings me closer to it. Ideally, I enjoy my work, but the main goal is the life I want. And by lifestyle, I don’t just mean money or borrowing power—I mean my ideal life.
What does that look like? And which work gets me closest to it? I’ve always loved traveling, and as I’ve gotten older, I genuinely enjoy it even more. I also value flexibility, creative freedom, and having control over my time. Naturally, I looked for roles that aligned with that vision.
That’s where tech came in. I’ve always liked research, but tech allows me to merge my interests—UX research and a flexible life. Even with my current hybrid role, I see the benefits. Tech companies often offer more leave days, emphasising work-life balance. So when I travel, I have more time to unwind.
Even outside of leave, I work three days in the office and two from home. This flexibility lets me travel while working—for example, I worked remotely from Cotonou recently. As long as I plan my office and remote days, I can work from anywhere: a café, a friend’s house, or another country. That freedom improves my quality of life.
What was the trip to Cotonou for?
A modeling gig. I was mostly being driven around the city and trying out clothes and dresses, and taking pictures. I didn’t quite stay long enough to soak in the pleasures of the city.
What challenges do you face in balancing work with occasional travelling for pleasure?
As much as I can help it, I try not to work when I’m travelling. The time zones are a major blocker. One time, I had to travel to the US for my cousin’s wedding. I was working at PwC Lagos and requested to work remotely at the time. But it was grueling for me. My waking hours were the closing hours at work. So I signed up never to try that again.
You’ve travelled to several countries; how can you describe the cultural differences between all these places you’ve been to?
People are friendly in America, but this depends on the part of the country. On the West Coast, people are nice and friendly—but they can be fake. But on the East Coast, life is fast-paced, so the people are not as nice.
Australians find Americans really loud; it’s always a funny sight. Australians are a calm bunch and they love nature and generally living with this kind of pleasurable ease.
I find the people in Paris, France to be rude, and I don’t think they like foreigners very much.
Thai people are very friendly, and I also find their monastery lifestyle intriguing. I visited a Buddhist temple during my stay. A presiding monk prayed for me and gave me a bracelet. I enjoyed my time there.
Cotonou [Benin Republic] is equally a quiet place—much quieter than Lagos. The people speak French and Yoruba so it was an easy blend for me.
I imagine travelling to these countries must’ve required a bit of adjusting, especially on the language side. What did this look like?
I didn’t need to learn Thai when I went to Thailand. My knowledge of English was enough.
I speak a little Yoruba (native Nigerian language) and my French skill is 40% conversational at best, but I got by in Paris.
Où puis-je parler français?
Ooh, I know a little French—les jours de la semaine—I reckon my odds of surviving a week in Paris are quite high, don’t you agree?
Maybe.
What led you to visit a Buddhist temple?
The temple is a tourist attraction. I visited Thailand two years ago for my birthday and I am naturally curious about different spiritualities. I also saw the cartoon, Avatar: The Last Airbender. There was the whole monk culture that was a key part of the Air Tribe nomads’ lifestyles. So it made sense to learn the way of the monks.
Though I’ve always read about Buddhism, their philosophy, and Zen culture, it was different being there physically and seeing how the people lived. It was fascinating.
How do you plan a travel schedule?
First, I make sure work doesn’t get in the way since I currently work in a hybrid role at Interswitch. Second, I plan my budget. Sometimes, I can afford to go a little over budget, but it has to be worth it. It has to be a place or city that I am really excited to visit.
I typically pay for an Airbnb apartment in my new location, so I plan for that. I also like my pleasure; so I always draw up a travel itinerary—it’s like a bucket list of all the things I want to do there. All my fashion tryouts, food, dining, relaxation activities, and everything else.
If I come up short in my budget, I involve my friends sometimes, and we make it a really fun time. I’ll also chip in that frequent travelling is expensive. So, it’s okay to be creative about it. Spotting discount flights and securing good passports are some of the secrets of the trade.
I have two passports. When I travel within Africa, I use my Nigerian passport and when I’m abroad, I use my American passport.
What’s one country you could live in forever?
Japan. I haven’t been to the country, but I love their sense of fashion and the high-tech cities. But I also understand that I might need to learn Japanese to enjoy my time there—that part, not so much.
Where do you plan to go next and what do you typically need to pack with you?
Dakar, Senegal. It looks beautiful and so African—at least in photos. When I travel for these trips, I just need my laptop and charger and I’ll be fine. If I’m lucky, there’s good internet wherever I’m going. That’s what counts.
