The Africa Fintech Summit is expected to drive major investment flows to Africa with over $4 billion capital to be represented, Lead Organiser & Content Director, Africa Fintech Summit, Andrew Barden announced Monday.
Speaking ahead of the summit holding on April 14, in Washington D.C, he said the programme is expected to bring issues, trends, and ideas revolutionizing the continental fintech ecosystem.
In a virtual interview, Barden said the event is supported by an advisory board of thought leaders and fintech pioneers and remains a unique space where ideas are explored, investments mobilised, and collaborations formed across sectors and geographies.
“Twice a year, we bring the issues, entrepreneurs, and opportunities revolutionizing finance in Africa to the world’s stage. The AFTS takes place in Washington, D.C., every April during the spring meetings of the World Bank/IFC and every November in a different African city,” a report on the event website said.
The event, aside helping to gather a vibrant community of fintech entrepreneurs, investors, regulators, and everyone in between working together to solve the largest financial issues, also brings about new topics of conversation and new corporate partnerships.
Barden said major companies in the Silicon Valley which has interest in investing in Africa will be on ground for partnership and investment.
He said that top global financial institutions and Fintech companies, financial sector regulators use the summit as an opportunity to explore options in the finch space.
He said the currency redesign policy in Nigeria has popularized mobile money even as fintech will continue to bring transformation to the payment ecosystem.
He explained that with mobile money, it is easier to target populations where banks are not able to reach and bring financial services closer to the people.
Barden said agents of Fintechs are helping to democratize access to finance and loan extension to SMEs.
“What makes Africa Fintech Summit special is that we are not panel or exhibition focused, our focus in enacting change and fostering the one-on-one connections that change industry and build a better tomorrow. Panels place innovators, regulators, investors, and enablers together to focus on leading issues impacting Africa and the diaspora. Industry insight coming directly from the change makers themselves,” the organisers said.
