Kehinde Victor | Sep 5, 2026
KEY POINTS
- GITEX Nigeria announced the launch of MINT AFRICA in Lagos for 2027 to connect technology, finance, investment, and cross-border regulation.
- Discussions will focus on artificial intelligence, tokenisation, stablecoins, cybersecurity, and digital identity across the continent’s payment ecosystem.
- The platform aims to convert financial innovation into active commercial investments to help deepen economic inclusion.
MAIN STORY
GITEX Nigeria has announced the launch of MINT AFRICA, a financial technology platform set to debut in Lagos during GITEX NIGERIA week in 2027.
The initiative aims to unite governments, regulators, banking institutions, investors, fintech companies, and digital-asset innovators to examine technologies shaping Africa’s financial landscape. Discussions will cover artificial intelligence, tokenisation, stablecoins, programmable money, digital identity, cybersecurity, and cross-border payment systems.
“Nigeria leads Africa’s fintech revolution. Its scale, talent and ambition make Lagos the deserving metropolis for MINT AFRICA by GITEX,” said Trixie LohMirmand, Chief Executive Officer of GITEX.
Africa’s digital payments economy is projected to reach $1.5 trillion by 2030, with structural reforms potentially unlocking up to $1.43 trillion in annual financing. While adult account ownership in Nigeria expanded from 45.3% in 2021 to 63.3% in 2024, formal borrowing remains low at 9.1%.
Lagos State Deputy Governor Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat noted that hosting the event reflects a commercial judgment based on Lagos’s position as a market anchor. Additionally, regional officials emphasized that converted investments, infrastructure, and cross-border regulatory alignment will prove critical to sustaining growth.
THE ISSUES
The initiative addresses persistent structural gaps in financial inclusion, regulatory fragmentation, and access to capital across African markets. By creating a centralized forum for dialogue between innovators and policymakers, the platform seeks to establish interoperable cross-border frameworks, expand formal credit access to small businesses, and accelerate the formalization of the informal economy.
WHAT’S BEING SAID
- “Africa doesn’t have a shortage of financial innovation. It has a shortage of the conversations that turn innovation into signed deals,” said Tunbosun Alake, Lagos Commissioner for Innovation, Science and Technology.
- “Greater regulatory coordination across Africa will be essential to addressing the inherently cross-border nature of digital assets, avoiding unnecessary fragmentation and building trusted, interoperable ecosystems,” said Tahiru Al Hassan, Head of Oversight and Compliance, Virtual Assets Department, Bank of Ghana.
WHAT’S NEXT
- Organizers and the Lagos State Government will begin stakeholder engagements ahead of the 2027 debut during GITEX NIGERIA week.
- Regulatory bodies across West Africa will continue discussions on cross-border digital asset oversight and interoperability frameworks.
BOTTOM LINE
MINT AFRICA positions Lagos as the primary strategic hub to bridge the gap between technological innovation and institutional capital across the continent’s evolving financial sector.
