Africa’s leading integrated payments and digital commerce company, Interswitch, has reiterated the need for integrity, collaboration, and compliance as the foundation of sustainable innovation across the continent.
This was said at the grand finale of TechConnect 5.0 with the theme, “United Frontiers: Growth Powered by Innovation, Collaboration and Compliance” on Tuesday, 11th November, 2025 in Lagos.
The event gathered top executives, policymakers, and thought leaders from the fintech and banking industries to examine how Africa can align rapid digital growth with responsibility and trust.
Speaking at the media parley, Akeem Lawal, Managing Director, Payment Processing and Switching at Interswitch, said collaboration remains central to building Africa’s digital economy.
“No single player can build Africa’s financial future alone, we must work together across sectors and technologies to make innovation meaningful in everyday lives.” He noted.
Lawal observed that one of the major challenges confronting the continent’s fintech landscape is fragmentation, with too many players working in silos. Stressing that Interswitch’s goal is to bridge these divides by connecting banks, fintechs, regulators, and merchants through interoperable systems that promote inclusivity and trust.
Again, Cherry Eromosele, Executive Vice President, Group Marketing and Communications at Interswitch, stressed that innovation must serve a purpose beyond profit.
“Innovation should not only make payments faster. It should make life fairer, TechConnect has evolved beyond a thought-leadership forum. It now drives real solutions, from contactless payments that ease urban transport to tools that help small businesses thrive.” She said.
In his remarks, the Managing Director of Verve International, Vincent Ogbunude, emphasised that compliance and integrity are essential pillars for the continent’s digital growth.
“Compliance is not a constraint; it guarantees that innovation will last, without clear standards and consumer protection, progress will be short-lived.” He stated.
Discussions also highlighted Africa’s paradox of progress, while digital adoption continues to accelerate, significant inequalities persist, leaving millions excluded due to infrastructural gaps, weak policies, and economic uncertainty.
Other Interswitch executives present acknowledged that Africa’s digital revolution must be guided by collaboration and ethical principles, maintaining that building transparent, secure, and inclusive systems would enable the continent’s fintech ecosystem to earn global credibility and public trust.
TechConnect 5.0 concluded with a resounding message: for Africa’s innovation to endure, it must be anchored on integrity, inclusivity, and shared purpose, creating a financial system that truly leaves no one behind.
