By Aduragbemi Omiyale
On Friday, April 22, 2022, stakeholders in the banking and financial technology (fintech) sectors will converge on Ecobank Pan African Centre (EPAC) on Victoria Island, Lagos, for the maiden Fintech Breakfast Forum organised by Ecobank Nigeria.
The event, which will also have virtual participation, is put together in conjunction with Tech Cabal, a digital media and publishing firm based in Nigeria, with its acting editor-in-chief, Koromone Koroye, as the moderator.
It will have the founder/CEO of Paga Group, Tayo Oviosu; co-founder/CEO of Bankly, Tomilola Majekodunmi; Africa Partner of QED, Gbenga Ajayi and the Group Head, Payments, Cash Management & Client Access, Ecobank Group, Isaac Kamuta as speakers.
The series, which requires registration to participate via https://cutt.ly/EcobankFintech, will examine two major topics; How bank-Fintech collaborations can drive ecosystem growth and Pan-African expansion opportunities and challenges.
According to the Managing Director of Ecobank Nigeria, Mr Bolaji Lawal, “The Fintech Breakfast series is conceived by Ecobank to provide a platform for banks and Fintech to explore areas of mutual interests and opportunities with a view to building a stronger ecosystem.”
“More collaboration is needed between Fintech and banks. We need to strike a balance. Many believe banks and Fintech are competitors. That is not true.
“This seminar will focus on how Fintech firms can find and nurture partnerships with banks, and how they can leverage these partnerships to grow and expand across the continent.
“It provides the opportunity for Fintech founders and executives to say what they are looking for from banks. It will also deepen skills for businesses and grow knowledge of the financial services industry,” he stated.
Mr Lawal called on operators of Fintechs and industry players to make a deliberate effort to be part of the seminar, stating that the outcome would impact their operations, performance and service delivery.
Ecobank Group, the parent body of Ecobank Nigeria, is widely acclaimed for its Open Banking strategy and for nurturing Fintech as a partner.
The Group runs several initiatives to foster Fintech development across Africa, including its flagship annual Fintech Challenge, in which hundreds of Fintech firms globally have participated in. The bank created the pan-African banking Sandbox, where Fintech firms may test their Application Programming Interface (API) in a safe environment and has developed several award-winning digital solutions.
Ecobank’s flagship pan African switch connects countries where it operates across Africa. This centralized switch allows easy integration, enabling instant transfers between 33 African countries. This provides huge opportunities, especially with the advent of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Ecobank Group is also the Gold Sponsor of the Africa Fintech Summits for 2022 scheduled for April 21 in Washington, DC to further demonstrate its continuous support for Fintech to help transform digital finance and banking across Africa.
