Connecting Canada and Africa through fintech: Dr. Segun Aina breaks down CAFS 2025
As the global fintech landscape undergoes rapid transformation, 2025 is shaping up to be a landmark year for collaboration between Canada and Africa.
At the heart of this momentum is the Canada-Africa Fintech Summit (CAFS), an ambitious initiative designed to connect two thriving fintech ecosystems for mutual growth and innovation.
In this exclusive interview with Nairametrics, Dr. Segun Aina, Chair of CAFS 2025, explores how this summit is positioning itself as a high-impact platform for cross-border partnerships, investment, and talent development.
Zeepay Secures $18 Million Debt Funding to Power Mobile Money Expansion Across Africa
Ghanaian fintech firm Zeepay has secured $18 million in senior secured debt funding to strengthen its working capital and accelerate its expansion across Africa’s booming mobile money and cross-border payment markets. The financing, arranged by South Africa-based advisory firm Verdant IMAP, reflects rising investor confidence in Zeepay’s role as a critical bridge between global remittance networks and local mobile wallets.
The new funding will provide crucial float financing support, ensuring Zeepay can manage liquidity demands associated with real-time mobile money transactions and international remittances. As mobile money adoption continues to surge across the continent—often outpacing traditional banking—Zeepay’s services remain vital for millions who rely on fast, affordable digital financial solutions.
PARTNERSHIP | The Interledger Foundation (ILF) Partners with Uganda’s Kanzu Finance for Micro-Loans
The Interledger Foundation, a global nonprofit foundation and steward of the Interledger Protocol (ILP), has partnered with Kanzu Finance to support microloans for community-based financial institutions in Uganda.
The foundation supports and promotes the Interledger Protocol (ILP) – an open protocol that permits frictionless payments and micropayments across currencies and ledgers, enabling opportunities for broader global financial inclusion.
According to the Interledger Protocol (ILP), the initiative enables the seamless movement of money across networks, much like the internet, allows information to flow freely between different systems. Their efforts are particularly focused on rural and small communities, a mission that has led to active involvement across Africa.
Read more: https://bitcoinke.io/2025/04/interledger-foundation-partners-with-kanzu-finance/
Circle teams up with Flutterwave, Yellow Card to power stablecoin payments
Topline: Circle Internet Group, Inc., the issuer of the USDC stablecoin, has launched the Circle Payment Network (CPN), a global system connecting financial institutions.
Launch partners include African fintechs like Flutterwave, Onafriq, and Yellow Card, with a focus on facilitating cross-border transactions using regulated stablecoins. (Details)
Key details: The CPN will not move funds itself but will connect partner financial institutions within a global payment ecosystem.
Read more: https://www.mariblock.com/circle-teams-up-with-flutterwave-yellow-card-to-power-stablecoin-payments/
Development Partners International acquires Egyptian fintech fund manager
DPI has for nearly two decades offered growth equity to African businesses focused on financial inclusion, healthcare services and supply chain efficiency. The London and Cairo-based investment firm is finding appetite from commercial investors to invest down-market, in earlier-stage and tech-focused businesses.
Read more: https://impactalpha.com/development-partners-international-acquires-egyptian-fintech-fund-manager/
Mastercard invests $300m in Corpay cross-border business
The investment is part of an expanded partnership between the two firms that sees Corpay become exclusive partner for commercial cross-border payments distributed to Mastercard’s financial institution customers.
This, says Mastercard, will see its clients and their customers get simplified access to robust, end-to-end cross-border payments choices, including carded and non-carded solutions supporting all ticket sizes.
Corpay will be the exclusive provider of currency risk management and integrated large-ticket cross-border payments to Mastercard’s financial institution customers. The companies will also extend their virtual card collaboration, with Corpay exclusively offering Mastercard virtual card programmes to its customers.
Read more: https://www.finextra.com/newsarticle/45901/mastercard-invests-300m-in-corpay-cross-border-business
