70-year journey of excellence: Celebrating life, impact and legacy of Segun Aina
Dr. Lawrence Olusegun Aina, OFR, (known as Segun Aina for short) stands as a beacon of excellence and an embodiment of transformative leadership in banking, education, financial technology and philanthropy. He is a global professional banking leader, a fintech ecosystem builder variously referred to as the Africa Fintech Grandmaster, a chartered arbitrator and a respected futurist.
Born with a vision that transcended ordinary aspirations, Dr. Aina has dedicated his life to shaping industries, empowering communities, and building legacies that have touched countless lives.
Moniepoint to Deploy New PoS Terminals, Copies Jack Dorsey’s Company’s Style
Moniepoint is reportedly testing an all-in-one point-of-sale (PoS) machine that combines payment processing, inventory management, and transaction reconciliation.
The new product was due to the company’s acquisition of Gracel, a financial technology firm, focused on inventory management solutions.
Kili Ventures’ first investment is in Moroccan fintech WafR
Kili Ventures announces that it has invested in WafR, an innovative start-up that is transforming access to financial services in Morocco through a widespread network of informal traders. The company, led by CEO and founder Ismail Bargach, completed a $1.5m seed round that saw the participation of 18 investors from three continents.
WafR is revolutionising the Moroccan financial sector, where 89% of transactions still take place in cash (World Bank Global Findex 2021), only 33% of adults have a bank account (IMF Financial Access Survey 2023) and seven thousand specialised outlets offer financial services for a population of 38 million. In this context, the start-up has developed a proprietary technology that transforms the existing network of small merchants into financial service providers, democratising access to essential services such as phone top-ups, money transfers and cash-in/cash-out services.
Read more: https://www.startupbusiness.it/en/kili-ventures-first-investment-is-in-moroccan-fintech-wafr/144275/
Big Moves in African Fintech as Banks, Telcos, and Disruptors Create Partnerships
Despite a downward trend in global investment in African fintech since 2021, the industry’s landscape is evolving. A new report reveals a key trend: the integration of fintech into other verticals is on the rise across the continent.
This integration is fueled by the rise of open-loop interoperability, enabling transactions across different organizations and reshaping the financial landscape.
As a result, disruptors, telcos, and banks are forming new partnerships and alliances as they navigate this new environment, leading to the emergence of three primary archetypes.
Read more: https://techweez.com/2025/02/02/african-fintech-evolution/#google_vignette
XLink Communications leads the charge in transforming payment solutions across Africa
XLink Communications Pty (Ltd) is revolutionising the payments landscape through a suite of innovative products that are reshaping the customer payment experience. Over the past two years, XLink has solidified its position as a purpose-driven PayTech leader, committed to advancing financial inclusion – a critical driver for a prosperous African continent.
Dr Thanusha Govender: Pic courtesy of Xlink
In 2022, Dr Thanusha Govender took the helm as CEO, introducing a bold new vision for XLink. Under her leadership, the company has undergone a strategic transformation from a connectivity provider to a multifaceted payment technology powerhouse, offering end-to-end integrated payment solutions. These solutions encompass hardware, software-as-a-service (SaaS), infrastructure, an aggregator connectivity platform, lifecycle and supply chain management, field technician networks, and call centre services, positioning XLink at the forefront of payment orchestration.
Ultimate Guide to Cross-Border Expansion for African Startups
Startups like Jumia, Flutterwave, and M-PESA have thrived by adapting to local markets, forming partnerships, and using technology. With AfCFTA reducing barriers, now is the time to plan your expansion.
Read more: https://www.techinafrica.com/ultimate-guide-to-cross-border-expansion-for-african-startups/
Fintech start-up Formance raises $21m Series A led by PayPal Ventures and Portage
PayPal Ventures and Portage Ventures co-led the round, with additional backing from Axeleo Capital, Y Combinator and Hoxton Ventures. This funding comes amid a reported tenfold increase in Formance’s year-on-year revenue.
Founded in 2021 and headquartered in New York, the start-up provides a set of APIs designed to help developers build financial flows and products for money movement, supporting a programmable ledger, and connectivity, financial flow and reconciliation services.
Notable clients include digital banking platform Getmomo, embedded finance platform Liberis, and Wahed, a Shariah-compliant digital investment platform.
