Technology
TechConnect 5.0: Interswitch Advances Collaboration, Compliance, Scalable Growth Across Nigeria’s Digital Ecosystem
By Adedapo Adesanya
TechConnect 5.0 series concluded on a high note in Lagos as Interswitch, one of Africa’s leading integrated payments and digital commerce companies, hosted the grand finale of its multi-city innovation and engagement platform.
The event convened regulators, financial institutions, fintech innovators, and technology leaders to advance conversations around innovation, collaboration, and compliance across Nigeria’s digital economy.
The programme, themed United Frontiers: Growth Powered by Innovation, Collaboration and Compliance, marked the culmination of a multi-city journey that had previously made stops in Enugu and Abuja. It reinforced Interswitch’s commitment to fostering synergy among ecosystem stakeholders to build a trusted, inclusive, and innovation-driven financial landscape.
Delivering the keynote address, Mr Akeem Lawal, Managing Director, Payment Processing & Switching (Interswitch Purepay), reflected on the evolution of the TechConnect platform and its growing influence across Nigeria’s fintech and payments landscape.
“At Interswitch, we’ve always believed that innovation thrives best in an environment built on trust, collaboration, and shared purpose. Through TechConnect, we’ve created a space for regulators, banks, fintechs, and innovators to connect, exchange ideas, and explore how compliance can become a true enabler of scalable growth.”
“When we talk about powering Africa’s digital economy, it’s not just about technology, it’s about people, partnerships, and purpose. This is how we build the frameworks that will define Africa’s digital future and ensure that the progress we make today sets the foundation for inclusive growth tomorrow,” Mr Lawal added
Welcoming participants to the grand finale, Ms Cherry Eromosele, Executive Vice President, Group Marketing and Corporate Communications, Interswitch Group, highlighted how TechConnect has evolved into a dynamic platform for meaningful dialogue and partnership across Africa’s digital ecosystem.
“Over the past few weeks, TechConnect has journeyed through Enugu and Abuja, sparking ideas, strengthening partnerships, and connecting innovation with policy in powerful ways. And now, as we conclude this incredible series in Lagos, the commercial heartbeat of Africa, we do so with a renewed sense of purpose and momentum.
This year’s theme, ‘United Frontiers’, embodies what TechConnect stands for. It’s not just an event, it’s a catalyst that unites the innovators shaping Africa’s future, the regulators ensuring safe, sustainable growth, and the businesses transforming lives through technology. For over two decades, Interswitch has remained committed to powering Africa’s digital evolution, and through platforms like TechConnect, we continue to drive collaboration, trust, and shared growth across the ecosystem,” she said.
A key highlight of the Lagos event was a fireside chat featuring Mr Ajakaiye Itanola, Deputy Director, Payments System Policy , Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) who represented Mr Jimoh Musa, the Director, Payment Systems Department, CBN. In his remarks, he underscored the importance of continued collaboration between the regulator and industry stakeholders to strengthen Nigeria’s payment systems and accelerate the country’s digital transformation agenda.
“At the CBN, we are committed to developing clearer and more inclusive regulations, a deliberate shift from the old ways of doing things. We are now involving more industry players in the process. For instance, we have revolutionized agent banking; it is no longer what it used to be.
“Moving forward, we are not only setting the rules for the present but also revisiting and refining existing ones to provide greater clarity and direction for the industry. The CBN is taking a forward-looking approach, anticipating future needs and framing the regulations required to support innovation.
“We believe that well-defined regulations serve as a catalyst for innovation, helping to shape the future and ensure that collective efforts remain sustainable and impactful,” Mr Itanola said.
The day’s discussions included two high-impact panel sessions. The first, De-risking Innovation with Regulatory Compliance and Strategic Partnership for Growth, explored how institutions can balance agility with accountability to drive sustainable expansion.
The second, Compliance as a Catalyst: Unlocking Scalable Innovation, Growth, and Collaboration in the Financial Ecosystem, delved into how governance and regulatory foresight can become foundational drivers of innovation and scalability.
Industry leaders across the financial and fintech sectors shared actionable insights on cybersecurity, open banking, artificial intelligence, and collaborative frameworks that enable responsible innovation and inclusive growth.
Beyond the discussions, the Lagos finale also featured interactive product showcases, where Interswitch unveiled its latest digital payment solutions designed to enhance efficiency, scalability, and customer experience across multiple industries.
The event concluded with an awards presentation, recognising outstanding partners and key contributors who continue to drive innovation and inclusion within Nigeria’s fintech landscape.
Interswitch noted that with its Lagos finale, TechConnect 5.0 has cemented its place as a cornerstone of industry collaboration, connecting innovation, policy, and partnership to accelerate Africa’s digital transformation journey.
Choosing between a VPS and a dedicated server can be complex. They run apps and webpages. But they operate differently. Understanding the difference between VPS and dedicated server solutions will help you prevent complications and save money later on. In this text we will explain everything in detail with examples from actual life.
VPS vs Dedicated Server: What Actually Sets Them Apart
One physical machine is divided into multiple virtual servers by a VPS. Through virtualization software, each user receives a portion of resources that are separate from those of other users.
A dedicated server operates in a different manner. One user owns a single physical machine. No neighbors, no sharing, simply complete hardware access.
This is the core of the vps vs dedicated server debate. Shared hardware means lower costs, while full ownership means more raw power. Finding the best vps hosting service often comes down to how well a provider balances performance with fair pricing on shared resources.
| Factor | VPS | Dedicated Server |
| Resource allocation | Shared pool, virtualized | 100% dedicated hardware |
| Performance consistency | Possible noisy neighbor effect | Guaranteed, stable capacity |
| Scalability | Instant resize | Requires hardware upgrade or migration |
| Cost | Lower entry price | Higher fixed cost |
Performance, Cost and Control: Where Each One Wins
In terms of raw performance, dedicated servers are superior. Each gigabyte of RAM and each CPU cycle are part of a single project. There is no competition for resources.
Flexibility is where VPS excels. It takes minutes, not days, to scale up. Pricing stays lower too, since costs get split across multiple users on the same hardware.
Shared hardware limitations rarely cause problems for smaller projects. Providers like Antihost allocate resources fairly, so performance stays steady even during traffic spikes. The gap only really matters once traffic gets heavy and consistent.
The contrast of vps vs virtual machine is also confusing people often. A VPS is a virtual computer in a technical sense, but it’s rented from a hosting company, rather than running on your own hardware.
Matching the Server to the Project: Real Scenarios
A dedicated server is rarely required for a small business website. A VPS can easily manage moderate traffic while maintaining low expenses.
A growing SaaS product usually starts on a VPS and expands as the user base grows. This adaptability is more crucial in the early stages than brute strength.
A database-heavy application benefits from dedicated hardware once query volume reaches a certain level. In this case, the lack of resource sharing and a constant disk speed are essential.
A game server depends on low latency and steady performance. Many game servers run fine on VPS today, especially with modern hardware. As David Heinemeier Hansson put it: “Personal servers have gotten really scarily quick, inefficient, and personal internet connections rival what we connected data centers with just a decade or two ago.” That shift makes VPS a stronger option than it used to be.
Here is a quick breakdown of what typically fits best:
- Small business website: VPS, for cost and simplicity
- Growing SaaS product: VPS, then scale to dedicated later
- Database-heavy app: Dedicated server, for consistent speed
- Game server: VPS, unless player counts get very large
Summary
In every situation, neither choice is superior to the other. Everything impacts the optimal selection, including the scale of the project, traffic patterns, and all growth plans. Scale from what works now when the numbers really demand it.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Mr Aminu Maida, has reemphasised the need to protect the nation’s telecommunications infrastructure, especially fibre networks, noting that damage to fibre networks carries significant economic consequences.
Speaking virtually at the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) Critical Conversation Forum on Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH) in Lagos recently, he described FTTH as a critical enabler of Nigeria’s digital future.
“FTTH is uniquely positioned to meet Nigerians' next phase of data demand. The quality of our broadband will increasingly shape the competitiveness of our businesses, the growth of our digital industry and the opportunities available to our citizens,” the NCC chief stated.
“We must uphold deployment standards. Nigeria needs fibre that is properly installed, properly documented, and properly protected,” Mr Maida further said at the event themed Fibre to the Home in Nigeria: Addressing Challenges, Strengthening Standards and Ensuring Sustainable Deployment.
During a panel discussion titled Policy, Governance and Regulatory Alignment, the Deputy Director of Strategic Business Initiatives at ipNX, Mr Segun Okuneye, highlighted the need for stronger collaboration across the telecommunications ecosystem to unlock the full potential of fibre broadband in Nigeria.
According to him, sustainable fibre deployment extends beyond technology and investment to include policy consistency, stakeholder alignment, infrastructure protection, and shared responsibility.
“Achieving universal fibre connectivity requires more than deploying infrastructure; it requires sustained collaboration between operators, regulators, government agencies and host communities.
“When policies are aligned, deployment standards are consistently enforced, and critical infrastructure is protected, we create an environment where investment thrives and more Nigerians can enjoy reliable, high-speed broadband.
“At ipNX, we remain committed to working with all stakeholders to build resilient digital infrastructure that will support Nigeria’s economic growth for generations to come.”
Earlier in his welcome address, ATCON President, Mr Tony Emoekpere, underscored the strategic importance of FTTH in achieving the country’s broadband penetration targets while calling for greater public awareness around protecting communications infrastructure.
“This forum is critical because Fibre-to-the-Home is the technology that will enable the country to achieve full broadband penetration. We all depend on communication infrastructure, and it must be protected,” he declared.
Drawing a comparison with power infrastructure in the country, he added, “If somebody comes to your neighbourhood to tamper with your transformer or power cables, everybody will come out. The same thing needs to apply for communications infrastructure. When we see people damaging fibre cables, we should raise an alarm.”
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Thursday, July 23, 2026, provided an opportunity for financial services professionals to converge on Landmark Event Centre, Lagos, to brainstorm on ways to meet the rising customers’ expectations.
The platform used for this purpose was Core by Interswitch. It is part of the company’s broader commitment to strengthening Africa’s digital payments ecosystem by fostering collaboration, knowledge sharing and operational excellence across the financial services value chain.
At the event, participants, numbering over 400, also highlighted the growing importance of operational excellence in sustaining resilient payment infrastructure.
As digital financial services continue to expand across Africa, closer collaboration among financial institutions, fintechs and payment service providers will be essential to improving responsiveness, resolving operational challenges more effectively and delivering consistently reliable customer experiences.
The Executive Vice President for Operations and Technology at Interswitch, Mr Babafemi Ogungbamila, said the forum reflects the company’s belief that exceptional customer experiences are built not only on innovative technology but also on the expertise, collaboration and commitment of the professionals who keep payment systems running every day.
“Every successful digital transaction is powered by professionals whose work often goes unseen but is fundamental to building trust in digital payments. Core by Interswitch was created to recognise their contribution, strengthen collaboration across the industry and create opportunities for shared learning that ultimately benefit financial institutions and the customers they serve.
“As digital payments continue to evolve, investing in the people and processes that power the technology is just as important as investing in the technology itself,” Mr Ogungbamila said.
Beyond recognising the professionals whose work often goes unnoticed, the programme underscored the value of creating stronger connections across the payments ecosystem.
By creating a dedicated platform for knowledge sharing, collaboration and professional development, Core by Interswitch aims to build a more connected community of payments operations professionals equipped to respond to the evolving demands of the digital economy.
