That was the highlight of Interswitch’s message yesterday, June 25, 2025, as it premiered its latest brand campaign, “Powering Moments That Matter,” at its Innovation Lab in Victoria Island, Lagos.

With fintech jargon overwhelming daily lives today, Interswitch chose to step back, focusing on the deep human impact on individuals across Africa, asking the question; what’s the point of all this technology if it doesn’t help us live better, fuller, more human lives?

Beyond a product reveal or marketing campaign, the Interswitch TVC Premiere was a reflection on the moments we live for, the ones we usually overlook, and the technology that makes them possible. 

Be it a father paying for emergency treatment, a young woman starting her dream business, or a child walking into their first classroom, Interswitch wanted us to see that money is only meaningful when it powers something real.

“This is not just about the business or the brand, it’s about people, it’s about the story we tell that touches lives,” said Dr Cherry Eromosele, executive vice president and group chief marketing & communications officer at Interswitch.

“It has not been an easy journey working in a space that people see as very technical. One of the biggest challenges is: how do you humanise a brand like ours? We’ve had to co-create with customers, listen deeply, and develop solutions that truly matter to them.”

From enabling daily transactions to life-changing moments, like urgent hospital payments, entrepreneurial breakthroughs, and first-time home purchases, Interswitch’s campaign zooms in on the value of its infrastructure. 

The commercial, created entirely in Africa by African talent, not AI, is a visceral insight that behind every payment is a person, a story, a dream.

Tomi Ogunlesi, divisional head of Brands and Communications, took attendees through Interswitch’s brand evolution, spotlighting its core belief that technology only matters when it connects meaningfully to human experiences.

The Interswitch new campaign builds on a rich legacy of storytelling. In 2015, Interswitch began by establishing trust as the core currency in fintech. In subsequent years, it embraced curiosity and innovation, and later encouraged customers to “see beyond the big picture.”

The latest phase goes even further, placing human experience at the centre of the brand’s ethos.

“We see money move, we process billions of transactions,” said Ogunlesi. “But what really matters are the moments behind those transactions. From a child’s school fees to a last-minute flight to see a loved one, Interswitch is there, quietly powering it all.”

This campaign reiterates Interswitch’s footprint across the continent, having been shot in multiple African countries, including Nigeria, Kenya, and Uganda, with the objective of representing a shared African identity. 

Casting and production were painstakingly curated to ensure audiences could relate universally, regardless of geography.

Paul Otu, divisional head, Design, Research & User Experience, explained: “It was important to tell authentic stories, stories everyone can see themselves in. Everyone knows someone chasing a dream, someone battling illness, someone trying to build a future. And in all those stories, Interswitch is quietly there, enabling those moments.”

Innovation with Meaning

This past financial year alone, Interswitch achieved commendable milestones, from sponsoring the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards and Uganda’s Developer Summit, to collaborating with governments in Lagos, Sierra Leone, and Kenya to drive fintech innovation. 

The company introduced tech solutions like CipherTrust, enabled YouTube subscription payments in naira, and reached a historic 70 million debit cards issued milestone. Their continued role in nurturing Africa’s tech ecosystem, through platforms like TechConnect 4.0 and the Spark National Science Competition, stresses its focus and dedication to the continent’s sustainability.

“We’re not just a payments company anymore,” Dr Eromosele stated. “We’re a technology enabler across sectors; healthcare, education, energy, and more. We are here to make sure the technology you rely on is invisible when it works and unforgettable in the moments it enables.”

No AI, All Heart

Interestingly, while the fintech world highly utilises AI-generated content, Interswitch took a contrarian route, going all-human. “Fintechs use AI to create full commercials,” said Ogunlesi. “But we’re doubling down on human connection. This was created 100% in Africa by Africans, for Africans.”

The final commercial, a 90-second video which took weeks of creation, was rich in emotion. It does not show POS machines or app interfaces like normal Fintech ads. Instead, it shows a life saved, a small business breaking even, a mother happy to see her unborn child and many more. Calm, but powerful.

“When you see this ad, you might forget the platform behind it,” said Dr Eromosele. “But you won’t forget the moment it represents. That’s when we know we’ve done our job.”

With a strong internal culture built on mantras like “speedy execution with accuracy” and “do the right thing the first time,” Interswitch remains committed to bolstering Africa’s digital space. The company’s 4.5.6 +Xb strategy, places sustainable growth and human-centred design at the core of its business.

As the curtains closed on the event, the Interswitch personnel reiterated that this is not the end, not even the peak. It’s just a new chapter.

“We’ll never stop telling stories that matter,” said Ogunlesi. “We’ll never stop humanising technology, and we’ll never stop moving Africa forward, one moment at a time.”

The conference, tagged ‘Beyond Boundaries 1.0‘, took place at The Brook, Stratford, London on Saturday 9th of March, and was curated for no-code tech career professionals and experienced product managers, with an overarching goal of enhancing the knowledge base of the product-focused community and  accelerating the careers of product managers as they explore new horizons in their field.

The one-day conference served as a pivotal point of convergence for product managers in the diaspora to bolster their expertise, establish connections, and ignite innovation within their organizations.

Speaking on the partnership with ProductDive, Tomi Ogunlesi, Divisional Head, Brands & Communications at Interswitch Group emphasized that as a key player in the digital payment landscape, Interswitch acknowledges the pivotal role of product management in shaping the future of technology and businesses.

“We are happy to once again partner with ProductDive for the second time, providing a platform for meaningful discussions that will propel the growth of product professionals“, he stated. “At Interswitch, we believe in empowering professionals not only to meet industry standards but to redefine them, fostering a community of innovation that transcends boundaries.”

He further emphasized the company’s commitment to prioritizing partnerships and platforms that enable growth in the tech industry.

Tobi Otokiti, founder of ProductDive and host of the conference, shared that the Beyond Boundaries conference was on a mission to empower African immigrants through technology by providing access to education, resources, and opportunities.

The free event featured workshops, panel discussions, networking opportunities, and a free CV clinic all aimed at inspiring participants to excel in the tech industry and make meaningful contributions to the global economy.

Interswitch’s commitment to supporting and upskilling talent in the tech industry is evident through its sponsorship of the 2023 ProductDive Product Management Conference and the 2023 Inspire Africa Conference by the Silicon Valley Product Group, both hosted in Lagos.

By collaborating with various organizations on talent development initiatives such as these, Interswitch reiterates its focus on not only shaping the future of technology but also positively impacting the lives of millions through accessible, efficient, and secure financial services.

As the fintech landscape evolves, Interswitch remains at the forefront, driving progress and empowering individuals and businesses to thrive in an increasingly digital world.

This recognition celebrates Ogunlesi’s exceptional contribution to the field of communications and his outstanding achievements in advancing corporate communication strategies.

The PR Power List, a collaborative initiative by GLG Communications, The Guardian Nigeria, and WPRD, acknowledges 50 exemplary PR and communications practitioners worldwide.

The list, debuting in 2022, has become an influential platform to honour and highlight the achievements of professionals shaping the PR and communications industry.  

This year’s event which held in Lagos, coincided with the celebration of World PR Day on July 16th, and aims to unite seasoned PR and communications professionals from over 60 countries under the theme “Harnessing the Power of Public Relations.”

Ogunlesi’s inclusion on the PR Power List 2023 serves as a testament to his outstanding dedication, expertise, and unwavering commitment to driving effective brand communication strategies in the fintech industry.

Speaking about his recognition on the PR Power List 2023, Ogunlesi expressed his gratitude and shared his vision for the future of PR and communications.  

He said,

“It is an honour to be recognized on the PR Power List 2023, alongside some of the industry’s most accomplished professionals. This recognition highlights the collective effort of the incredible team at Interswitch and the progressive approach we take towards brand communication and reputation management.  

“As we continue to harness the power of public relations, I am excited to contribute to the advancement of the PR industry and the overall growth of Interswitch.”

Ogunlesi’s strides in the world of communications have continued to receive recognition, as he beat other nominees in the Outstanding Corporate Communications Professional of the Year (Fintech) category at the Brandom Awards 2021.

This year’s recognition further solidifies his position as a formidable force in the field of corporate communications, specifically within the fintech space.

Ogunlesi’s strategic vision, innovative thinking, and unwavering dedication have elevated him to a revered status as a guiding light of excellence and inspiration within the PR and communications industry.

This was one of the solutions proffered for improved detection and prevention of fraud in the ecosystem by the tech giant firm’s representative, Ejike Ngene, Head, Banking Technologies, (Interswitch Systegra).

This contribution was made recently at the 2022 BusinessDay ‘Future of Payments and Fraud’ Conference.

Ngene made the submission during a panel discussion where leaders in Nigeria’s financial technology space engaged in the conversations around effective ways to create a fool proof system against fraud.

According to him, the payment space has grown explosively, not only in Nigeria but also globally, adding that Interswitch, as a leader in the space, has put together some preventive measures that aim to address the prevailing issue of payment fraud in the country.

He explained that Interswitch has continued to invest in robust systems that pre-empt fraudulent activities with fortified protocols that undermine fraud within the payment ecosystem in Nigeria.

​As a whole, the panel agreed that to create a fortified system against fraud, more skilled hands would be required, especially in view of the current skill deficit in the field exacerbated by the continued exodus of trained labour to other countries across the world.

The panellists also cited aggressive training of Nigerian youths as a necessary step to be taken.

Speaking on what Interswitch was doing to bridge the skills gap, Ngene pointed out that the tech firm’s internship programme was designed to groom tech-inclined Nigerians and to support the current workforce.

He said “To close the skillset gap, Interswitch is training and retraining Nigerians to create systems and solutions that will manage challenges bedevilling the digital payment ecosystem in Nigeria.”

Also commenting on the ongoing collaborations between fintechs and traditional financial institutions, the Group Chief Audit Executive, First Bank of Nigeria Limited, Uduak Nelson Udoh, commended the level of collaboration which has resulted in the introduction of tailor-made solutions for the benefit of the customers.