Spotlight Summary

Profile Overview

In the world of financial compliance and risk management, few names carry the quiet authority of Maria Aba Sam Adu-Agyei. With nearly a decade of hands-on experience spanning Ghana, the UK, Uganda, and Nigeria, she has helped shape some of Africa’s most recognised fintech institutions- from Zeepay to Onafriq to pawaPay. In the fast-evolving world of African fintech, where innovation moves at lightning speed and regulation must keep pace, she has played a pivotal role in helping fintech companies navigate complex regulatory landscapes, secure critical licenses, and build robust compliance frameworks that enable sustainable growth.

But behind the titles, licences, and boardroom briefings is a woman shaped by a strict teacher-uncle in Accra, a mother who never stopped hustling, and a personal conviction that success only truly counts when it opens doors for others. A passionate advocate for mentorship and women’s advancement in fintech, Maria believes success should create opportunities for others and is committed to helping more women rise into leadership across the industry. This is her story.

Experience

• Compliance Manager & MLRO, pawaPay UK Limited (Current)
• Compliance Manager & Data Protection Contact, Quidexplus Limited (Current)
• Group Compliance Officer & MLRO (Ghana), Onafriq
• Compliance Officer, Zeepay Ghana Limited

Your Journey

Maria Aba Adu-Agyei’s story begins in Accra, Ghana, where she was raised in a family that embodied entrepreneurship. Her father, an engineer who ran his own ventures, and her mother, a dynamic businesswoman involved in importing, retail, and food services, demonstrated early on that success is built through hard work, resilience, and determination.

Growing up, Maria witnessed firsthand the realities of building and sustaining businesses. Those experiences shaped her work ethic and taught her that diligence is not optional but essential. During her formative years, she lived with her aunt and uncle while attending Christ the King International School. Her uncle, Mr. Anane-Mensah, a respected teacher at the school, played a particularly influential role in her development.

Under the guidance of her aunt and uncle, Maria learned lessons that would later become the foundation of her professional career. They instilled in her a strong sense of integrity, discipline, and service to others; values she believes align perfectly with the essence of compliance.

Her journey into finance and fintech was not something she had planned. While serving her national service at Bank of Africa Ghana in a retail support role, an unexpected recommendation changed the trajectory of her career. Her then Head of Retail, Alex Agyei-Amponsah, recognized qualities in her that made her suitable for compliance work and encouraged her to take on compliance responsibilities alongside her existing duties.

The experience was transformative. Maria quickly discovered that compliance aligned naturally with her personality-her attention to detail, commitment to doing things correctly, and desire to protect both people and institutions.

When her national service concluded, she was offered a teller position at the bank. However, Maria had already found her calling. Rather than accept a role that did not align with her aspirations, she chose to wait for an opportunity in compliance.

That opportunity arrived when Zeepay Ghana Limited welcomed her into the fintech industry, a move that would define the next chapter of her career.

The early years at Zeepay became some of the most formative of her professional life.She found herself navigating complex regulatory environments, muli-jurisdictional licensing processes, and high-stakes engagements with regulators. The challenges were demanding, often requiring persistence in the face of lengthy approval processes and difficult conversations.

Those experiences taught her resilience, sharpened her technical expertise, and built a level of professional toughness that could only be developed through experience.

Professional Growth & Contributions

Over the years, Maria has built an impressive career across some of Africa’s leading fintech institutions, steadily expanding her responsibilities and influence within the compliance and risk management landscape.

Her professional journey began at Zeepay Ghana Limited, where she served as Compliance Officer from 2017 to 2021. In that role, she oversaw AML/CFT policies across Ghana, the United Kingdom, and Uganda while contributing to governance frameworks and compliance automation initiatives. It was during this period that she developed her foundation as a compliance leader.

She later joined Onafriq as Group Compliance Officer and Money Laundering Reporting Officer (MLRO) for Ghana, serving from 2021 to early 2025. The role significantly expanded her scope, allowing her to lead AML/CTF monitoring programs, conduct financial crime investigations, manage regulatory relationships, and provide group-wide analysis on suspicious activity reports.

Maria credits much of her growth during this period to the leadership and mentorship of Funmi Dele-Giwa and Moses Marimira, whom she describes as instrumental in broadening her understanding of compliance at a continental scale.

Today, she serves as Compliance Manager and MLRO at Quidexplus Limited and pawaPay UK Limited. Her responsibilities span regulatory compliance, AML/CTF frameworks, enterprise risk management, fraud investigations, and data protection governance. Looking back, she recognizes how impactful strong leadership has been throughout every stage of her career.

Among her proudest accomplishments are the successful regulatory licenses and approvals she has helped secure across multiple jurisdictions. She played a key role in acquiring the DEMI License in Ghana and the API License in the United Kingdom, while also supporting regulatory approvals from the Bank of Ghana, the National Bank of Rwanda, and the Bank of Uganda.

These achievements required months, and sometimes years of preparation, engagement, documentation, and persistence.

“Dealing with regulators requires a very tough skin.”

The eventual approvals, however, represented more than regulatory milestones; they reflected the culmination of perseverance, expertise, and strategic stakeholder engagement.

Beyond licensing achievements, Maria has also contributed to industry thought leadership. She was honored to speak at the Digital Assets Summit 2025 and EMTalks, where she shared insights on the evolving relationship between banks and fintech companies. Representing compliance and risk as a Ghanaian woman on such platforms was both a professional milestone and a meaningful contribution toward increasing diversity in industry leadership.

One principle continues to guide her professional approach:

Leadership & Perspective

Maria describes her leadership philosophy as a balance between empathy and excellence. She believes people perform at their best when they feel valued, respected, and supported. As a leader, she prioritizes helping team members understand not only what they are doing, but why it matters.

At the same time, she maintains exceptionally high standards. In compliance, she notes, the consequences of mistakes can be significant, making excellence a necessity rather than an aspiration.

Her leadership style is rooted in leading by example. She believes leaders should never ask others to do what they are unwilling to do themselves. More importantly, she sees leadership as an opportunity to leave every environment stronger than she found it.

Working in fintech has also taught her the importance of continuous learning. The industry evolves rapidly, and staying relevant requires humility, curiosity, and a willingness to learn from those with greater expertise.

She attributes much of her professional development to mentors and leaders who generously shared their knowledge and challenged her to grow.

Maria also believes that trust remains one of the most valuable currencies in fintech. Whether engaging regulators, managing stakeholders, or building cross-border partnerships, reputation and credibility determine long-term success.

For her, Africa’s fintech ecosystem is unique because it is creating financial infrastructure in real time for millions of people who have historically been excluded from formal financial services. Unlike many developed markets that focus on improving existing systems, African fintech companies are often building entirely new pathways to inclusion.

The complexity of navigating multiple regulatory frameworks across numerous African jurisdictions requires creativity, adaptability, and deep local understanding. Yet the impact of that work is profound, touching the lives of individuals and communities across the continent.

Industry Insights

Looking ahead, Maria sees financial inclusion as one of the greatest opportunities for African fintech. Despite significant progress, millions of Africans still lack access to formal financial services, creating immense potential for innovation that is both impactful and commercially sustainable.

She is particularly optimistic about the future of cross-border payments and intra-African trade. As payment infrastructure improves and regulatory frameworks gradually align, she believes seamless and affordable cross-border transactions will transform commerce across the continent.

At the same time, she acknowledges that regulatory fragmentation remains one of the industry’s most significant challenges. Operating across multiple jurisdictions often requires navigating varying regulatory expectations, timelines, and risk appetites.

Meaningful progress, she argues, will require not only ongoing dialogue but also coordinated actions that address the specific realities of fintech businesses operating in Africa.

Another pressing issue is the shortage of experienced compliance and risk professionals, particularly within West Africa. Maria is passionate about addressing this gap through mentorship, public speaking, and creating visibility for compliance as a rewarding career path.

Women, she believes, have a critical role to play in accelerating fintech growth and inclusivity.

Women leaders often bring perspectives shaped by lived experiences of financial exclusion and community-centered problem-solving. These insights help create products and services that better serve underserved populations.

Equally important is representation itself. Visible female leadership demonstrates what is possible and inspires future generations of women and girls to pursue careers in fintech, technology, and financial services.

Personal Reflections

Behind Maria’s professional accomplishments is a support system that helps her balance career ambitions with family life.

She credits much of her success to her husband, whom she describes as her anchor. His encouragement, support, and belief in her abilities have provided stability during demanding periods of her career.

Together with their two daughters, they form the foundation that keeps her grounded and motivated.

“My husband is genuinely my anchor.”

Her daughters are a constant source of inspiration. Through her work, she hopes to demonstrate that ambition, warmth, and responsibility can coexist and that women do not have to choose between professional success and family fulfillment.

Outside her corporate responsibilities, Maria runs Kika Locals, a weekend food business focused on authentic Ghanaian cuisine. What began as a way to support her mother’s business has evolved into a meaningful family endeavor that allows her children to connect with their heritage and entrepreneurial roots.

An Akan proverb continues to guide her life: when you care for another person’s belongings, yours will prosper. It is a philosophy she applies across family, business, and leadership.

During difficult moments, whether navigating complex regulatory processes, managing professional pressures, or confronting self-doubt, Maria remains focused on the legacy she hopes to leave behind.

She wants to be remembered not simply for the licenses she secured or the policies she implemented, but for the positive impact she made on the people, organizations, and communities she served.

The individuals who have shaped her journey remain central to that story. From her uncle and mother, who instilled her principles and work ethic, to Alex Agyei-Amponsah, who opened the door to compliance, and leaders such as Funmi Dele-Giwa, and Moses Marimira, who invested in her growth, each played a significant role in her development.

Their influence continues to accompany her into every room she enters.

Looking Forward

Maria’s vision for the future centers on continued growth as a compliance leader while contributing to broader policy conversations that support responsible fintech innovation across Africa.

She is particularly interested in the intersection of technology and regulation, exploring how RegTech, artificial intelligence, and automation can make compliance processes smarter, more efficient, and more accessible for institutions of all sizes.

For women in fintech, her vision is both simple and urgent: greater representation at decision-making tables.

She wants to see more women leading not only in compliance and risk but also in product development, engineering, executive leadership, and boardrooms. A stronger fintech ecosystem, she believes, is one that draws from the full diversity of available talent.

Ultimately, Maria hopes her legacy will be defined by excellence, generosity, and impact.

She wants future generations of women to find doors slightly more open because of the path she helped create. Most importantly, she hopes her daughters will one day look back with pride, not only at what she achieved, but at the integrity and determination with which she achieved it.

Advice for Others

For young women entering fintech today, Maria’s advice is grounded in experience.

First, she emphasizes the value of hard work. Success may not arrive immediately, and it may not always be visible, but consistent effort compounds over time. Every assignment completed diligently, every regulation mastered, and every relationship nurtured contributes to long-term growth.

Second, she encourages aspiring professionals to actively seek mentors and learn from those with more experience. Humility, curiosity, and a willingness to listen can accelerate development in ways that formal education alone cannot.

Finally, she encourages young women to identify a purpose larger than themselves, whether that purpose is family, community, legacy, or a vision for Africa’s future. That purpose becomes the fuel needed to persevere through challenges, setbacks, and uncertainty.

Above all, she believes in making a meaningful impact wherever one finds oneself.

As Maria continues to shape the future of compliance across Africa’s fintech landscape, one guiding principle remains at the heart of her journey: