FirstBank has championed inclusion amid innovation in the fintech space as it sponsored the Canada-Africa Fintech Summit.
In a statement on Sunday, the financial institution said that its sponsorship highlights its commitment to fostering cross-border collaboration, financial inclusion, and forward-thinking innovation in the global fintech landscape.
CAFS 2025, convened by the President of the African Fintech Network, Dr Segun Aina, was a platform to unite fintech leaders, regulators, startups, and investors from Africa and Canada to explore scalable digital solutions, encourage investment, and promote inclusive economic development across both continents.
Acting. Group Head of Marketing and Corporate Communications at FirstBank, Olayinka Ijabiyi, said, “Our support of CAFS 2025 reflects our belief that collaboration between African and Canadian fintech ecosystems can lead to transformative innovations.
FirstBank is proud to help shape that future.”
During a panel discussion with MPP for Mississauga, Lakeshore, Rudy Cuzzeto, and Country Director for the United Nations World Food Programme (Nigeria), David Stevenson, the Group Executive for E-Business & Retail Products at FirstBank, Chuma Ezirim, stressed the significance of digital collaboration in Africa’s financial ecosystem.
He said, “We’re building APIs that understand regulatory bifurcation, who has access to what, and why. The technology is the easy part. The real challenge lies in maintaining security, consent, and performance.
“In Nigeria, fintech has evolved beyond disruption to convergence, integrating banks, fintechs, and regulators into an agile and accountable ecosystem.”
He further emphasised that regulatory clarity is essential for building public trust and attracting private investment in fintech, stating, “The more we collaborate, the more lessons we learn, and the greater the benefits for consumers.”
In a separate panel discussion, the Chief Technology Officer at FirstBank, Rachel Adeshina, shared insights on harnessing AI to enhance credit access for the underbanked. “We’re addressing data poverty by using AI to interpret alternative data, allowing us to lend to individuals who might otherwise be invisible to the traditional credit system,” she noted.
Adeshina highlighted that FirstBank has disbursed over N1tn in digital loans through this AI-driven model, achieving a remarkable repayment rate of over 99 per cent.
“This innovation was enabled not only by technology but also by a supportive environment, including API banking regulations, data privacy laws, and a shift from account-based to wallet-based banking,” she added. She also underscored the importance of scalability through collaboration, stating, “In a fragmented continent like Africa, digital scale will come from interoperability. Connecting the 54 markets is the next big challenge, and fintechs are ideally positioned to lead that initiative.”
The summit formed part of Canada’s broader Africa Strategy, aimed at fostering economic partnerships, digital cooperation, and innovation exchange. As Africa’s digital finance ecosystem continues to grow and Canada develops its open banking framework, events like CAFS 2025 provide a timely platform to align strategies and ignite collaborations.
Source: https://punchng.com/
