Nigeria Fintech Forum 2025: Forging a Bold Path for Inclusive and Scalable Financial Systems in Africa
Lagos, July 29, 2025 — The Nigeria Fintech Forum 2025 convened a powerful assembly of policymakers, innovators, financial institutions, and development partners at the Balmoral Convention Centre, Lagos. Organized by Africa Tech Series, the event served as a pivotal platform for strategic discussions on the future of financial services not only in Nigeria but across the African continent.
The forum’s agenda spotlighted the urgent need for collaborative, innovative solutions to accelerate financial transformation. Central to the conversations were themes of financial inclusion, cross-border payments, artificial intelligence, regulatory compliance, fraud mitigation, and the emerging digital asset ecosystem.
Advancing Financial Inclusion Through Systemic Reform
Experts emphasized that true financial inclusion demands more than technology alone. In the session titled “The Inclusion Imperative: Building Financial Products That Serve, Not Just Sell,” panelists highlighted that socioeconomic and regulatory barriers remain significant hurdles.
Bodwin of Belema Financial Technology Limited advocated for a holistic product design approach focusing on affordability, offline accessibility through USSD and SMS channels, and secure cloud-native infrastructures. Representatives from EFInA, eBanqo Inc., OmniBiz Africa, and CreditRegistry showcased innovations aimed at informal and rural markets, including conversational platforms that foster trust and usability for first-time and low-literacy users.
Cross-Border Payments: Unlocking African Economic Integration
The launch of the Payments Stage, themed “Enabling and Scaling Instant Cross-Border Payments in Africa,” addressed the critical infrastructure and policy frameworks required for seamless pan-African transactions.
Panelists such as Ayotunde Alabi, Joseph Olaoluwa, and Mayowa Alli explored regulatory complexities, crypto compliance, and the development of interoperable systems independent of traditional USD corridors. Dr. Austin Okpagu’s call for instant multi-currency settlements highlighted the continent’s growing ambition for monetary autonomy.
Proactive Fraud Management and Compliance
The Fraud Stage focused on “Proactive vs. Reactive: Keeping Verification at the Heart of Compliance.” Industry leaders including Ikenna Sydney Okparaeke CFCS, Omoruyi Edoigiawerie, and Toyosi Egunjobi underscored the importance of real-time verification, regulatory alignment, and intelligence-sharing mechanisms between banks, fintechs, and government agencies to mitigate fraud risks proactively.
Artificial Intelligence: From Hypothesis to Real-World Impact
Artificial Intelligence was a major highlight. Obum Ekeke OBE, CEO of MasteryHive AI, delivered a keynote illustrating AI’s transformative power in credit analysis, fraud detection, insurance underwriting, and customer engagement. Abdul-Jabbar Momoh, VP Commercials at Curacel, demonstrated AI agents streamlining operations for African financial institutions, including account onboarding and claims automation.
Digital Assets and Africa’s Crypto Future
Representing the digital asset sector, Emmanuel Ukaogo, Africa Regional Representative for CoinW, presented crypto trading solutions tailored for African markets. He emphasized the platform’s offerings such as Spot and Futures trading alongside Copy Trading, reflecting the continent’s growing embrace of accessible and community-driven crypto platforms.
Collaboration as a Strategic Imperative
A recurring theme was the need for partnership. Entrepreneurs, regulators, developers, and financiers alike agreed that building scalable, secure, and inclusive financial ecosystems demands collective innovation and shared commitment.
As one ClooperApp representative summarized, “The energy and ingenuity within Nigeria’s fintech ecosystem are unmatched. The conversations at this forum reinforce the importance of working together to build systems that reflect Africa’s unique realities and needs.”
The Nigeria Fintech Forum 2025 concluded with Nigeria positioned firmly at the forefront of Africa’s fintech evolution—charting a future that is inclusive, intelligent, and pan-African in scope.
Please share your comments in the section below about the recently concluded Fintech Forum in Nigeria. If you have any development projects in blockchain, Web3, crypto, or other technologies within Africa that you would like us to feature, kindly send the details to sales@cryptoafricanow.com.
Ursula Gabuin Bih, a native of Cameroon, is a fervent supporter of cryptocurrencies and the latest technologies. She uses her knowledge in financial reporting to cover blockchain, Web3, and digital currency news for CAN News. She also holds a master’s degree in finance.
