The Forum brought together key stakeholders across the financial ecosystem to chart a course toward broader access, inclusion, and growth through digital payments.

The event, which held at the New Brookfields Hotel in Freetown, convened senior representatives from both the public and private sectors, including regulators, banks, fintechs, mobile money operators, and development organisations, for a day of high-level dialogue and engagement.

Building on the success of the inaugural edition, this year’s theme, “Access, Inclusion and Growth – Deepening Digital Payments in Sierra Leone,” reflected a shared commitment to building a more inclusive and resilient financial system through collaboration and innovation.

Delivering the keynote address titled “Building on Progress: Expanding Access, Driving Inclusion, and Fueling Growth for National Prosperity,” Akeem Lawal, managing director, Payment Processing and Switching (Interswitch Purepay), reinforced the company’s commitment to co-creating value in the markets it serves.

“Financial inclusion goes beyond launching more apps or issuing more cards, it’s about solving real problems with solutions that are scalable, secure, and grounded in local realities. Since the first edition of the Fintech Forum, Sierra Leone has made clear progress, with strong mobile penetration and a forward-looking Central Bank. What’s needed now is execution that is sustained, coordinated, and responsive to the realities on the ground.

By applying lessons from multiple African markets and tailoring them to local needs, Interswitch is committed to supporting Sierra Leone’s digital transformation. That means enabling agency networks that function effectively, driving merchant acceptance to reduce cash reliance, and working closely with regulators to co-create policy that drives real progress and inclusive growth,” Lawal said.

In his remarks, Dr. Ibrahim Stevens, governor, Bank of Sierra Leone, commended Interswitch’s continued investment in the country’s digital transformation journey.

He highlighted the Central Bank’s commitment to driving regulatory innovation and building an inclusive ecosystem.

He said,

“The Bank of Sierra Leone recognises the critical role of digital financial services in building a more inclusive and resilient economy. Events like the Sierra Leone Fintech Forum, in collaboration  with innovators like Interswitch, help accelerate the adoption of technologies that bring more Sierra Leoneans into the formal financial system. We remain committed to creating an enabling regulatory environment that fosters innovation while ensuring consumer protection and financial stability.”

A key highlight of the forum was the live demonstration of Interswitch’s Agency Banking solutions, designed to bridge the gap between traditional banking infrastructure and underserved and remote communities.

Attendees experienced firsthand how the platform supports secure, efficient, and accessible financial transactions across Sierra Leone through a decentralised network of agents.

The event featured a series of insightful panel discussions, interactive Question & Answer sessions, and networking opportunities, fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange across the ecosystem.

As mobile connectivity expands and Sierra Leone’s digital agenda accelerates, the forum provided a timely platform to align actors, surface practical solutions, and build collective momentum toward a more inclusive financial system.

The Sierra Leone Fintech Forum reaffirmed Interswitch’s role as a catalyst for digital finance transformation in the region and across the continent.

As the financial landscape continues to evolve, the company remains committed to supporting the country’s financial inclusion goals through innovation, shared infrastructure, and strategic partnerships that power a more inclusive, digital and future-ready economy.

The partnership, which is a response to the rapidly evolving and expanding demands of the DRC market, will enable Multipay Congo to leverage Interswitch‘s technology and expertise to deliver innovative and secure digital payment solutions to the Congolese market, supporting financial inclusion, driving digital transformation, and boosting economic growth in the country.

Multipay Congo is a pioneer financial technology company that launched the first local interbank payment service in the DRC in 2015, called “Multipay”, in collaboration with four major banks, namely:

• The BCDC (Banque Commerciale du Congo),
• Equity Bank Congo,
• FirstBank DRC, and
• Rawbank.

The first two banks have since merged to become the current Equity BCDC. Multipay service enables holders of private (local) cards from these banks to perform transactions at ATMs, point-of-sale terminals, and in bank branches across the country.

Interswitch Limited is an Africa-focused integrated digital payments and commerce company that was established in 2002 in Nigeria. Interswitch, operating in over 14 countries in Africa, facilitates the electronic circulation of money and the exchange of value between individuals and organizations on a timely and consistent basis. The company offers a range of payment products and services such as cards, digital tokens, online stores, and payment platforms, to help businesses and individuals across Africa grow and thrive.

Expressing his enthusiasm for the partnership, Olivier Bueno, the Managing Director of Multipay Congo said:

“We are delighted to partner with Interswitch Limited, another pioneer and leader in the African digital payment space. This partnership will enable us to continue to pursue our ambition to actively participate in the financial inclusion objectives of the Central Bank of Congo by developing innovative, accessible, secure digital financial products and services, adapted to the needs of the population and businesses.”

By working with Interswitch, we leverage our local knowledge and skills to promote financial inclusion and economic empowerment, as well as to support the development of the digital economy in DRC and in the region.”

Also describing the partnership as a win-win for both organizations and the people of the Congo, Akeem Lawal, the managing director, Payment Processing and Switching (Interswitch Purepay) said:

“We are pleased to enter this partnership with Multipay Congo to bring our transformative payment solutions to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The partnership aligns with our overarching efforts to expand our footprint across more African regions, developing and deploying innovative solutions until payments are a seamless part of everyday life on the continent.

As part of this partnership, we will strengthen our presence in the DRC, one of Africa’s most populous and promising markets, so, we look forward to working with relevant regulators and other financial service providers to jointly provide safe, reliable, and convenient financial services to individuals and businesses in the DRC.”

The partnership is expected to boost financial inclusion, economic growth, and social development in the DRC, which has a population of over 100 million people and a GDP of over $40 billion.

With a strong presence in over 14 African countries, Interswitch is set to solidify its operations in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

This partnership with Multipay Congo is a testament to the payment giant’s resolve to continue expanding its footprint in Africa and beyond, aiming to improve access to financial services and close the financial inclusion gap on the continent.

The immersive event will feature keynote speakers and panel sessions that will provide valuable insights into the digital payments landscape in the country, spotlight trends and best practices within the payment ecosystem, and deliberate on other topical issues.

Building on the success of its previous editions, Interswitch is once again poised to consolidate its efforts in the redefinition of the digital payment landscape in Nigeria through its suite of cutting-edge solutions tailored to the ever-evolving needs of businesses and customers.

At the event, novel solutions from the stable of the technology company will be unveiled, with each product designed with merchants and customers in mind; tailored to boost operational resilience and to enable businesses to offer seamless banking experiences to their customers.

Speaking on the launch of Techconnect 3.0, Akeem Lawal, the Managing Director, Payment Processing and Switching (Interswitch Purepay), said the firm organized the Techconnect event to bring industry players together to discuss salient topical trends with the aim of deepening the growth of digital payment in the country.

He said, “We are thrilled to unveil the third edition of the Interswitch Techconnect series which was established to drive the growth of the payment ecosystem as well as provide expert guidance to businesses to enable them to thrive.”

He revealed that Interswitch will be unveiling novel solutions that speak to the passion points of its customers.

“With a commitment to innovation and customer-centricity, we are confident that these solutions will reshape the digital payment landscape, offering businesses and consumers alike a seamless and secure way to transact, while also improving the bottom line for businesses. We look forward to insightful conversations and solutions that will be proffered at the events.” Lawal remarked.

The Interswitch Techconnect 3.0 event serves as a platform for key stakeholders, partners, industry experts, business leaders, and potential clients to engage in insightful discussions, foster collaboration, and explore new opportunities within the digital payment space.

As a pioneer in Nigeria’s fintech industry, Interswitch remains keen on consolidating its role as an enabler of digital payments in the country, providing sector-shaping products and solutions.

This submission was made by Akeem Lawal, Managing Director, Payment Processing & Switching (Interswitch Purepay) during a panel session at the recently concluded 2023 Zenith Bank International Trade Seminar held at the Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos.

According to Lawal, he noted that the prevailing issues limiting cross-border payments can be solved through advanced digital payment platforms that enable seamless intra-continental transactions.

He acknowledged the prevailing issues affecting cross-border payments, positing that existing infrastructure can be improved to create opportunities for businesses within Nigeria to transact with businesses beyond the borders of the country.

He said, “Businesses can achieve greater strides by embracing digitization. This opportunity cuts across private businesses, government parastatals and financial institutions. Digitization is critical for designing platforms for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the export business to enable them complete transactions successfully with little to no constraints.”

The seminar themed, “Nigerian Non-Oil Export Industry: The Present, The Future”, also identified the impact of Nigeria’s service industry, with a focus on the creative and technology sectors and their impact to the country’s development.

Speaking on the critical significance of these sectors, Lawal emphasized the need for fortified public-private partnerships to drive growth in Nigeria’s service industry which has consistently played a substantial role in the country’s overall Gross Domestic Product (GDP). He noted that Nigeria was a high exporter of technological expertise and that a significant investment in technology-focused companies would augment the sector’s contribution to the economy.

As part of the collaboration between the government and private sector players, Lawal highlighted necessary interventions that would support the growth and development of the service sector including training workshops, the promotion of innovative systems, and conducive policy implementation.

In the same vein, Lawal stressed the need for more robust investment vehicles targeted at the country’s fintech sector to drive tremendous growth in Nigeria.

In his welcome address, Dr Ebenezer Onyeagwu, Group Managing Director/CEO, Zenith Bank Plc, underscored the need for Nigeria to recognize its huge potential as a continental powerhouse, shifting its focus from oil products to non-oil commodities to derive value for the economy.

He called for the need to tap into the country’s rich resources and to establish production bases that will support development, to create a ripple effect on a continental level.

The trade seminar drew major stakeholders from both public and private sectors who expounded on the way forward for Nigeria and Africa at large.

The Annual Conference, which has enjoyed keen support from the technology giant, has over the years come to be regarded as the point of convergence for stakeholders representing the different sectors of the Nigerian Payment Industry (NPI).

Interswitch’s headline sponsorship of the conference highlights the digital payment giant’s interest in fostering deeper collaboration between banks and fintechs within the financial ecosystem especially as it celebrates its 20^th year in existence.

With the theme, “Leveraging Ecosystem Synergy to Combat Fraud”, the 2022 conference is tailored to emphasize the need for and importance of ‘Payments Ecosystem Players’ (PEP) to collaborate to win the fight against electronic payment fraud.

Interswitch, as a key industry stakeholder, will be instrumental in spearheading these discussions, especially with its recent efforts around the innovative solutions it provides to curb fraud associated with e-payment.

Speaking on the forthcoming retreat, Akeem Lawal, Managing Director, Payment Processing and Switching (Interswitch Purepay), reiterated the importance of the company’s participation in industry events such as the CeBIH Retreat, where critical issues, trends and analysis around the payment ecosystem are discussed.

He described the conference as an enabler of the growth and improvement of Nigeria’s payment ecosystem where industry players identify prevalent challenges in the financial ecosystem, provide innovative solutions hinged on current trends, and make quantifiable projections for the future.

“At Interswitch, we remain committed to supporting and partnering with platforms that share our vision to drive a greater, more financially inclusive ecosystem in Nigeria and on the African continent at large. Platforms such as the CeBIH conference provide Interswitch and other industry players the opportunity to engage with key stakeholders and collaborators from the financial system with a view to improving our offerings to our customers amid market demands, global trends, and insights from the operating environment,” Lawal said.

Interswitch has continued to blaze the trail in its role as a major partner of the Committee and its retreat since 2016. This emphasizes the firm’s commitment to the growth and development of the payment technology industry in Nigeria, while providing seamless access to digital financial services for a greater proportion of Nigeria’s teeming population.

The CeBIH Retreat, now in its tenth year, attracts key stakeholders from across the various sectors in Nigeria’s payment industry, serving as an avenue for dialogue among industry players.

Akeem Lawal, Managing Director, Interswitch Purepay made this known during the Nigerian Fintech Forum held recently at the Civic Center, Victoria Island, Lagos.

In his keynote address tagged “Building Partnership for Growth, Exploring the Intersection of Banks, Telcos and Fintech Companies” Lawal explained that the Nigeria financial industry has evolved tremendously over the years with customers transitioning from banking halls transactions to adopting digital payment services.

He noted that despite the growth of the financial sector, customers are yearning for more innovative and seamless payment solutions hence, players in the financial industry must work with one another to design cutting-edge solutions that speak to the needs of customers and further strengthen the financial industry.

He said “As headline platinum sponsor, we are delighted to be sponsoring the Nigeria Fintech Forum because we believe that a platform like this will provide the opportunity for critical stakeholders in the financial industry to engage and proffer solutions that will consequently drive the growth of the financial Industry”

He further said, “At Interswitch, we will continue to design tailor-made solutions that speak to the need of every customer. Therefore, it is important for players in the financial industry, including the banks, telcos and fintechs to leverage collaboration to provide innovative and seamless solutions to customers. This is the only way we can meet the 95% financial inclusion target by 2024”.

Speaking during the panel session tagged “Regulating Nigeria’s Fintech Industry, Building Investors Confidence Without Stifling Growth”, Tyoyila Aga, Group Head, Financial Services Business at Interswitch, said it was important that players in the industry collaborate with regulators, keep abreast of new regulations and help strengthen compliance levels to grow the financial industry.

He said “At Interswitch, our approach to regulators is to work in harmonious ways with them and that is what we have been doing for two decades. This has helped us to understand regulations better and we urge other players to do same to grow the industry.”

The Nigeria Fintech Forum was attended by thought leaders and high-profile personalities across several sectors, including banks, telcos and fintechs.