Amanda Pullinger with the planning committee.
On April 28, a group of women in leadership positions, including CEOs, female founders, and members of the fintech ecosystem in Nigeria, gathered for a breakfast panel and fireside chat. The event provided a valuable opportunity for networking, learning, and exchanging ideas. Amanda Pullinger, 100WF CEO, joined the 55 women in attendance and more than 30 virtual participants for the session led by Program Anchor Dr. Glory Edozien, Lead Consultant at IBG Academy and a LinkedIn top voice. The local 100WFinTech committee extends their gratitude to the event sponsors, which included First Bank PLC, Stanbic IBTC, Interswitch, CIO Club of Africa, Glory Edozien, Express Payment, and Premium Trust Bank. Their support was essential in making this event a success.
The event began with opening remarks from 100WFinTech committee member Folasade Femi-Lawal, who warmly welcomed all the participants and expressed gratitude to the event sponsors. She then introduced Amanda Pullinger to the audience and highlighted the purpose of the event.
Keynote speakers included Chinomso Nwachukwu, CFO of Interswitch Group Nigeria, and Dr. Idowu Markie, CEO of Xpress Payment Solutions Ltd. Ms. Nwachukwu briefly highlighted the significance of a forum for female fintech leaders and provided an overview of Interswitch’s current role in the industry. Dr. Markie provided valuable insights into the challenges women face in the fintech industry. Her narrative shed light on the difficulties women encounter while striving to progress in industries that are predominantly male-dominated.
Dr. Glory Edozien, Lead Consultant IBG Academy, moderated the panel session, Women Leading the Way: African FinTech Success Stories. The panel speakers included: Rachel Adeshina, Chief Information Officer of First Bank Nigeria Ltd, Aisha Hussaini, Founder of Keza Africa, Modupe Ladipo, Founder and CEO of Prosperar Consulting, and Chinomso Nwachukwu, CFO of InterSwitch Group. The following are the key takeaways from the engaging discussion between the panelists.
- The need for women to collaborate. Collaborating with other organizations doing similar work could help accelerate progress and promote the spread of knowledge across various fields.
- The importance of women being bold and brave. Prevailing cultural beliefs in Nigeria are obstructing the progress of women in fintech, STEM, and financial inclusion. It was emphasized that changing these attitudes is crucial to promote the growth and advancement of women in these fields. (Rachel Adeshina, the CIO of FirstBank)
- Africa’s fintech success stories, trend or bubble? Developments in the Nigerian fintech and financial industry are not a trend, and are crucial in driving economic growth and improving the lives of consumers. However, it’s essential for us to be ethical, prioritize sustainability and ensure the long-term viability of this sector as stated by Oremeyi Akah, Chief Customer Success Officer at Interswitch.
- In the realm of fintech, the customer holds a significant position of authority. It is imperative to prioritize customer-centric infrastructure design and simplify processes such as credit procedures to the point of effortless execution. The development of infrastructure solutions plays a crucial role in propelling the sector forward and promoting inclusivity. The ideal solution should be easily accessible, like effortlessly retrieving essential items from a purse or briefcase. Modupe Ladipo (CEO Prosperar Development Consulting).
- Recognize and showcase women’s value in the fintech sector. The accomplishments and contributions of women in the industry should be made visible. (Aisha Hussaini, Founder of Keza Africa).
Panelists (pictured from left to right): Dr. Glory Edozien, Oremeyi Akah, Modupe Ladipo, Aisha Hussaini and Rachel Adesina.
Following the conclusion of the panel discussion, a fireside chat with Amanda Pullinger and Dr. Ola Brown, Founding Partner of Healthcare Capital Africa commenced. Amanda discussed the 100WF mission and Vision 30/40, it is the goal for women to occupy 30% of senior investment roles and executive committee positions by 2040. She encouraged attendees to become registered members of the organization which provides access to events in more than 32 countries and recordings of more than 300 events across the three pillars: education, peer engagement and impact. Additionally, Amanda and Dr. Brown shared insights as to lessons learned and how to scale up as a female founder.
Fireside Chat between Dr. Ola Brown and Amanda Pullinger
The event was a success, and we anticipate hosting more events to bring women together to discuss the growth of the fintech ecosystem in Nigeria and across the globe. Members can view the recording from this event using the link below:
100WFinTech is one of 100 Women in Finance’s global visibility initiatives to elevate the public profiles of senior female leaders in FinTech and enhance their connectivity within the FinTech ecosystem. Senior professionals are encouraged to apply to our growing public directory, which is designed to help conference organizers, the media and young women needing role models to easily identify female fintech leaders.