Fintech for Inclusion Africa Summit, 2025

Background

Understanding Africa's evolving financial and digital landscape

Africa's Evolving Financial Landscape

Africa's financial and digital landscape is evolving rapidly. Mobile money platforms like M-Pesa, MoMo, and Airtel Money have revolutionized transactions, while fintech innovations such as Zeepay and Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) solutions are expanding access to credit. E-commerce platforms like Jumia, Konga, and Takealot—along with the rise of social commerce—are further driving financial inclusion and trade.

Key Challenges

Regulatory fragmentation limits seamless cross-border transactions.
Lack of payment interoperability affects financial connectivity.
Cybersecurity risks and data protection gaps threaten digital finance.
Infrastructure limitations hinder the scalability of fintech solutions.

Summit Focus

The Fintech for Inclusion Africa Summit 2025 will bring together policymakers, industry leaders, and innovators to tackle these issues. With a focus on regulatory harmonization and policy innovation, key discussions will explore:

Key Discussion Areas

Strengthening cross-border payment systems.
Enhancing financial inclusion through open banking and digital identity.
The role of Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) in Africa's digital economy.
Addressing gender and inclusion gaps in fintech.

As Africa moves towards deeper economic integration under AfCFTA, this summit will serve as a platform for shaping a unified, well-regulated, and inclusive digital financial ecosystem.

Why Africa Matters

Exploring the unique financial technology landscape of Africa

High Mobile Phone Penetration

615M+ unique mobile subscribers (2024), expected to hit 50% penetration by 2030.
Mobile money platforms like M-Pesa, MoMo, and Airtel Money have transformed financial access.

Growing Mobile Internet & Digital Inclusion

27% mobile internet penetration, with falling data prices driving digital adoption.
4G expansion in ECOWAS set to double by 2030, but infrastructure investment is key.

AfCFTA & Cross-Border Payments

Africa's free trade agreement could generate $292B in income gains by 2035.
PAPSS and fintech solutions are reducing currency dependency and boosting intra-African trade.

Fintech Regulation & Policy Leadership

Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, and South Africa lead in fintech licensing, open banking, and digital ID systems.
Regulatory sandboxes and financial inclusion policies drive innovation while ensuring consumer protection.

Surge in Digital Payments

50%+ of the world's mobile money accounts are in Sub-Saharan Africa.
QR code payments, instant transfers, and digital wallets are increasing financial inclusion.

Booming E-Commerce Market

Projected to exceed $75B by 2025, driven by fintech-enabled payments and logistics.
Local and global platforms (Jumia, Takealot, Amazon) are reshaping online shopping.

Africa's Young, Digital-Savvy Population

60% of Africans are under 25, fueling digital innovation and entrepreneurship.
Startups and tech businesses grew by 20% in five years, with record investments in 2021.

Rise of Alternative Credit & Embedded Finance

BNPL, digital microloans, and block chain-based credit are filling gaps in traditional banking.
Fintech giants like Flutter wave and Chipper Cash are integrating seamless credit solutions.

Digital Identity & Open Banking Growth

Digital identity frameworks in Nigeria, Ghana, and Kenya enable secure transactions.
Open banking fosters partnerships between fintechs and traditional banks.

Resilient VC Market Amid Global Slowdown

Africa raised $3.2B in VC funding in 2024, despite global market uncertainties.
Investors remain confident in fintech, e-commerce, and digital infrastructure.

Tracks and Sessions

Join us for comprehensive discussions across multiple tracks

Track 1: Inclusive Digital Finance

Panel Discussion: Fintech at the Forefront: Driving Innovation, Inclusion, and Impact in Africa's Digital Economy

10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

Moderator

Akua Nyame-Mensah

Founder, Executive & Leadership Coach

A.N.M & Company

Panelist

Dr. Loretta Abena Sarpong

Banker & Management Consultant

Panelist

Prof. Imhotep Alagidede

University of the Witwatersrand / Maiden Bank of Ghana

Chair in Finance and Economics at the University of Ghana.

Panelist

Emelia Sackey

Head, Digital and Youth Banking

GCB Bank PLC

Panelist

Sarah Corley

Founder & CEO

Alliance of Digital Finance Associations, South Africa

Panelist

Leonard Kambona

Former Country Coordinator

UNCDF, Kiribati, Pacific Region

Track 2: Consumer Protection and Empowerment

Panel Discussion: EConsumer Protection: Building Trust, Safety, and Inclusive Empowerment

12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.

Moderator

Jenny Radziwolek

Founder & CEO

Regxelerator

Speaker

Dr. Mark Tampuri

Certified Digital Finance Practitioner / Certified Fintech Risk and Regulatory Compliance Professional

Academic City University, Ghana

Panelist

Adwoa E. Paintsil ESQ

Legal Practitioner/ Associate

Robert Smith Law Group

Panelist

Emmanuel Akrong

CEO

Cedispay, Ghana

Panelist

Kwasi Boakye-Akyeampong

Head, Information Systems Governance & Administration

Prudential Bank Limited, Ghana

Panelist

Agnes Gatsinzi

Senior Analyst, Financial Sector Conduct- Consumer Protection Department

National Bank of Rwanda

Track 3: Gender and Fintech

Panel Discussion: From Access to Empowerment: Gender-Inclusive Innovation and Leadership in Fintech

2:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Moderator

Barbara Mintah Marfo

Certified Digital Finance Practitioner | Certified Gender Change Maker | Seasoned Banker

Speaker

Abigail Akwambea Elorm Mensah

CEO

MASLOC, Ghana

Speaker

Emelia Sackey

Head, Digital and Youth Banking

GCB Bank PLC

Panelist

Jenny Radziwolek

Founder & CEO

Regxelerator

Panelist

Dr. Lucy Agyepong

Vice President, Institutional Advancement

Academic City University

Panelist

Gifty Annor-Sika

Founder & CEO

Women in Forex Ghana

Panelist

Talitha S Bulaya

Association of Digital Finance Practitioners

Track 1: Digital Infrastructure & Connectivity

Panel Discussion:Strengthening Digital Infrastructure for Digital Ecosystems (Finance and Trade)

10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

Moderator