Held on Tuesday, November 11, 2025, at the Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, the event, themed “United Frontiers: Growth Powered by Innovation, Collaboration, and Compliance,” brought together regulators, fintech leaders, bankers, and innovators to discuss how Africa can balance innovation with compliance to ensure inclusive growth.

Speakers included Musa Jimoh, director of Payment Systems at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN); Chika Nwosu, managing director of PalmPay; Vincent Ogbunude, CEO of Verve International; and Akeem Lawal, managing director, Interswitch Purepay.

Speaking at the event, Cherry Eromosele, executive vice president, Marketing and Corporate Communications at Interswitch, said the TechConnect series has evolved into a platform for enabling inclusion, aligning regulation with innovation, and strengthening collaboration across the ecosystem.

On Interswitch’s newest innovations, Vincent Ogbunude unveiled cutting-edge solutions such as tokenisation, digital card storage, tap-to-pay transactions, and cross-border interoperability designed to unify Africa’s fragmented payment landscape.

“Interswitch has already crossed the 100 million-card milestone in Nigeria. But we know the future is digital. We’re now enabling users to digitise their cards, store them on mobile devices, and make secure tap-to-pay transactions,” he said.

Ogbunude added that over 40 million Verve cards with contactless functionality have already been rolled out across markets including Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, and Côte d’Ivoire, an achievement that will speed up the continent’s transition to seamless payments.

In his comments, Akeem Lawal noted that compliance is indispensable when it comes to innovation:

“You cannot build sustainable innovation without compliance. It is the foundation of trust, customer experience, and long-term growth. Many see compliance as a checklist; we see it as guardrails that make innovation sustainable,” he said.

The event concluded with awards recognising partners including FirstBank, Zenith Bank, UBA, GTBank, PalmPay, Moniepoint, OneAfriq, Fincra, and others for their contributions to enhancing the payments ecosystem.

The awards presentation session for “Outstanding Performance” was led by the VP, Sales & Account Management, Interswitch Systegra, Robinta Aliyu, and the VP, Business Development, Interswitch Purepay, Etitayo Awe.

Held recently at the Best Western Hotel, the event convened financial leaders, policymakers, innovators, and business stakeholders to explore the evolving dynamics of Nigeria’s digital payments ecosystem and the opportunities that lie at the intersection of innovation, collaboration, and compliance.

Anchored on the theme, “United Frontiers: Growth Powered by Innovation, Collaboration and Compliance,” the Enugu edition delivered high-impact sessions, hands-on product showcases, and thought-provoking discussions that offered participants actionable insights to scale their operations and strengthen the wider ecosystem.

One of the key highlights was the panel session titled “Scaling Digital Payments: Tackling Infrastructure, Financial Proficiency, and Fraud for Inclusive Growth,” which addressed critical challenges such as infrastructure gaps, limited financial literacy, and rising fraud. Speakers emphasised the need for ecosystem-wide cooperation, shared infrastructure, and enhanced consumer education to sustain trust in Nigeria’s digital payment systems.

This was complemented by a fireside chat themed “Collaboration as a Growth Multiplier: Unlocking Potentials Through Digitised Payments,” where industry experts explored how strategic partnerships among banks, fintechs, regulators, and merchants can unlock new opportunities, drive innovation, and expand access to financial services.

Speaking on the event, Akeem Lawal, Managing Director, Payment Processing and Switching (Interswitch PurePay), reaffirmed Interswitch’s commitment to advancing Africa’s digital economy.

“TechConnect 5.0 provides a vital platform for engaging with industry stakeholders, co-creating solutions, and addressing the real challenges that define our industry. The conversations here in Enugu have reinforced the importance of innovation, collaboration and compliance in building a more inclusive and resilient payments ecosystem,” he said.

Beyond the discussions, participants also experienced Interswitch’s suite of innovative solutions designed to drive efficiency, scale operations, and unlock value for businesses of all sizes. Live product demonstrations and customer success stories showcased how the company’s technology is enabling efficiency, transparency, and growth for businesses across Nigeria.

The event also featured an awards presentation, where outstanding partners and contributors were recognised for their commitment to driving digital transformation and innovation across the financial ecosystem.

The Enugu edition marks a successful opening for the TechConnect 5.0 tour, which will continue in Abuja on October 14th at The Wells Carlton Hotel, and culminate in a grand finale in Lagos on November 11th, 2025, at the Federal Palace Hotel and Casino, Victoria Island.

With TechConnect setting the standard, Interswitch continues to reinforce its role as a trusted partner in powering Africa’s digital transformation, advancing financial inclusion, and shaping a resilient and collaborative, innovation-driven future.