Hi, my name is
TREVIN LIVELE.
I build backends that scale.
Senior Software Engineer with 6+ years building high-performance backend systems in Java and the Spring ecosystem. Specialising in microservices architecture, event-driven platforms, cybersecurity, and mission-critical FinTech integrations across East Africa.
Get In TouchAbout Me
Hello! I'm Trevin Livele — a Senior Software Engineer based in Nairobi, Kenya. I architect and deliver large-scale backend systems in Java and the Spring ecosystem, with a deep focus on FinTech. My interest in software started in 2019 and grew into a career building platforms that move real money for real people.
Over 6+ years I've engineered mobile banking backends for 33+ SACCOs, a full-cycle digital lending platform (NOW Loans) for NCBA Bank, and cross-domain products in hospitality, e-commerce, and automotive. Cybersecurity is woven through everything I build — secure-by-design APIs, threat modelling, encryption, and hardening of mission-critical financial systems. I care deeply about security, reliability, and mentoring the engineers around me.
Here are some technologies I work with daily:
- Java 8+
- Spring Boot
- Spring Security
- Apache Kafka
- RabbitMQ
- PostgreSQL / MySQL
- MongoDB / Redis
- AWS (EC2, RDS, S3)
- Docker / Kubernetes
- ISO 8583
- Cybersecurity
- OWASP / OAuth2 / JWT
- Encryption / PKI
My Journey
Information Technology — JKUAT
Graduated with a degree in Information Technology from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture & Technology, focusing on software engineering, algorithms, and systems design.
IT Intern — JKUAT ICT Directorate
Supported maintenance of internal university systems and developed internal tooling, applying academic Java knowledge to real-world challenges and building foundational enterprise IT operations experience.
Software Engineering Bootcamp — Moringa School
Intensive training in software engineering fundamentals, OOP, and modern development workflows.
Junior Software Engineer — iTalanta
Designed and built RESTful Java backend services consumed by web and mobile frontends. Practised TDD, peer code review, and gained hands-on experience with Docker, PostgreSQL, and microservices design patterns in production.
Senior Software Engineer — Tangazoletu
Leads backend development of large-scale FinTech products on Spring Boot microservices and AWS. Delivered NOW Loans (NCBA Bank), SmartTeller, mobile banking for 33+ SACCOs, Afristays, Carpital, and Bidhaa Bora — across lending, banking, hospitality, and e-commerce domains.
Achievements & Recognition
Employee of the Year 2024
Tangazoletu
2024
Recognized for outstanding performance in developing secure, scalable banking applications and leading critical project implementations that improved system performance by 40% and enhanced security protocols across multiple platforms.
Cybersecurity & Security Excellence
Tangazoletu
2024 – 2025
Recognized for implementing comprehensive security measures across FinTech platforms — secure-by-design APIs, threat modelling, encryption, and OWASP-aligned secure coding practices that hardened mission-critical banking systems and maintained zero security incidents.
Best in Agile 2025
Tangazoletu
2025
Awarded Best in Agile for exemplary agile practice — driving sprint delivery, continuous integration, and cross-functional collaboration that consistently shipped high-quality features on time across multiple FinTech product teams.
Employee of the Month
Tangazoletu
2025
Named Employee of the Month several times throughout the year for consistent high-impact delivery, technical leadership, and reliability on critical banking and lending initiatives.
Innovation in Fintech
Industry Recognition
2024
Contributed to revolutionary mobile banking solutions that serve over 33 SACCOs nationwide, processing millions of transactions daily with 99.9% uptime and industry-leading security standards.
Technical Leadership
Multiple Organizations
2023-2024
Successfully mentored junior developers and led cross-functional teams in delivering complex projects on time, while maintaining high code quality standards and implementing best practices.
Featured Projects
NCBA Sasa — Mobile Banking
Secure, scalable backend for NCBA's mobile banking app handling millions of transactions daily. Built the ISO 8583 channel manager integration for standardised card and payment channel communications, alongside T24 Core Banking integration for real-time account management and transactions.
- Java
- Oracle
- Spring Boot
- ISO 8583
SpotCash Mobile Banking
Mobile banking platform serving SACCO members. Developed PesaLink interbank funds transfer integration allowing members to send and receive funds across member banks in real time via the Kenya Interbank Settlement System. Also built and maintained T24 Core Banking integration layers.
- Spring Boot
- Java
- RabbitMQ
- PesaLink
Smart Teller
Created a software for a banking application that automates teller operations, enhancing efficiency and reducing human error. The system integrates with existing banking infrastructure to provide real-time transaction processing and reporting.
- Angular
- Java
- SPring boot
- Docker
Internet Banking
Web Based Banking Application that allows users to manage their accounts, transfer funds, and pay bills securely online. The application features multi-factor authentication, transaction monitoring, and real-time alerts.
- Angular
- Spring Boot
- Java
- REST
PRSP
Premium Rate Service Provider (PRSP) is a bulk SMS application that allows users to send and receive bulk SMS messages. It includes features for managing contacts, scheduling messages, and tracking delivery status.
- Java
- Spring Boot
- Angular
- Batch processing
Mobile Apps
Development of mobile applications for Android and iOS platforms, focusing on user experience, performance, and security. The applications include features such as push notifications, in-app purchases, and secure user authentication.and served over 33 saccos in the country.performing millions of transations per day.
- Flutter
- Firebase
- Java
- Spring Boot
The Carpital
Development of the Carpital a car selling and buying application that allows users to buy and sell cars securely. The application includes features such as secure payment processing, vehicle history reports, and user reviews.
- Next Js
- Spring Boot
- GraphQL
- Redis
LQ Consultancy
A team-building and corporate services website for a consultancy firm, featuring service listings, client testimonials, and an inquiry contact form.
- HTML
- CSS
- JS
- Vercel
Afristays
Full-stack hospitality platform connecting travellers with stays across Africa. Built the Spring Boot backend with end-to-end Safaricom M-Pesa integration: B2B disbursements, B2C host payouts, and STK Push (M-Pesa Express) for guest payments — enabling complete mobile-money flows on the platform.
- Java
- Spring Boot
- M-Pesa API
- AWS
Bidhaa Bora
E-commerce marketplace platform enabling card and mobile-money payment acceptance. Integrated Pesapal payment gateway for marketplace transactions and built backend services powering product listings, order management, and seller settlements.
- Java
- Spring Boot
- Pesapal
- PostgreSQL
NOW Loans — NCBA Bank
Full-cycle digital lending platform covering credit scoring, loan booking, disbursement, repayment scheduling, and automated SMS/push notifications. The real-time credit scoring engine integrates multiple data sources via Spring Integration and Kafka, processing 500,000+ customer assessments monthly with sub-second response times.
- Java
- Spring Integration
- Kafka
- AWS
Future Goals
Cloud Architecture at Scale
Deepening expertise in distributed systems on AWS — multi-region resilience, event-driven architectures, and advanced Kubernetes orchestration for mission-critical financial workloads.
AI-Powered FinTech
Exploring real-time ML inference pipelines within the Spring ecosystem — expanding credit scoring models, fraud detection, and intelligent automation for financial platforms.
Engineering Leadership
Growing into a principal/staff engineering role — driving architectural standards, mentoring teams, and shaping engineering culture across high-impact product organisations.
Pan-African Impact
Building and shipping financial infrastructure that reaches underserved communities across East and West Africa — expanding access to credit, savings, and digital payments.
Resume
My Resume
A comprehensive overview of 6+ years engineering high-performance backend systems in Java and the Spring ecosystem — microservices, FinTech integrations, cloud infrastructure, and the platforms I've shipped across East Africa.
Download Resume (PDF)What's Next?
Get In Touch
I'm open to senior backend engineering roles, technical leadership opportunities, and interesting collaborations — especially in FinTech, payments, or platforms with real social impact. Whether you have a question or just want to say hi, I'll do my best to get back to you!
Say Hello