Over the course of the last week, New York came alive with ideas and ambition as the world’s leaders in business and politics converged for the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
Among the global leaders and decision-makers, Flutterwave, Africa’s leading payments technology company, stood out as one of Africa’s most prominent voices.
The company’s executives played a central role in high-profile discussions covering topics such as digital trade, innovation, artificial intelligence, and financial inclusion, reiterating Flutterwave’s position as a key enabler of Africa’s digital transformation.
For Olugbenga ‘GB’ Agboola, founder and chief executive officer, the week’s centrepiece was his participation in the Bridgforte Financial Inclusion Roundtable at UNGA 80, convened by the former Central Bank of Nigeria Deputy Governor, Aishah N. Ahmad.
The roundtable brought together financial leaders and policymakers who explored how to build more inclusive systems that serve the unbanked and underbanked.
Agboola’s contribution reflected a broader consensus at the roundtable: that true economic growth cannot be achieved without widening access to finance, particularly for women, rural populations, and small enterprises.
Additionally, he also joined the US-Kenya business investment roundtable and the US-Ghana executive business roundtable, where conversations focused on strengthening trade and investment ties between Africa and the United States.
Mitesh Popat, chief financial officer, joined policymakers and industry leaders at the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation & Digital Economy side event on accelerating digital trade across Africa through the African Continental
Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Popat emphasised the importance of creating a trusted payment infrastructure to enable cross-border commerce, particularly for small businesses that often face the greatest hurdles.
His comments reflected Flutterwave’s long-standing mission to simplify payments across Africa and open pathways for entrepreneurs to access new markets through the AfCFTA.
At the same time, Bridgit Antwi, the Company’s vice president, Strategy and Planning, took part in the Global Africa Business Initiative’s Action Pathway for Digital Transformation roundtable.
Convened by the UN Global Compact and the African Union, the closed-door roundtable brought leaders together to establish digital innovation as a pillar of Africa’s prosperity.
Antwi contributed to shaping an ‘Action pathway’ designed to foster innovation, attract strategic investment, and secure commitments on bold policy reforms. The session reflects the company’s belief that digital infrastructure is not only about technology but about jobs, skills, and inclusive access for Africa’s young and growing population.
Elsewhere during the week, Bankole Falade, chief legal, Regulatory and Public Policy Officer, featured in a one-to-one onstage interview at the Foreign Policy Tech & AI Forum.
In a conversation titled ‘The Next Wave: Africa’s Emerging Digital Economy,’ Falade discussed the promise and risks of rapid adoption of artificial intelligence and advanced technologies on the continent.
He argued that African economies must define their own path in AI adoption, balancing innovation with clear regulatory frameworks that ensure ethical use and data protection.
His remarks resonated with the policymakers, technologists, and investors, sitting in the audience, who are keen to understand how Africa can leapfrog legacy systems to shape a distinctive role in the global AI landscape.
Flutterwave’s active engagement at UNGA 80 showcased the breadth of its leadership’s contribution to global dialogue on Africa’s future.
The message that emerged was clear: Africa is no longer on the margins of global digital transformation; it is the core of where the future of payments, innovation, and inclusion will be defined.
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