Interswitch Champions Infrastructure for Africa's Fintech Growth

Interswitch Group has reaffirmed its dedication to developing the necessary infrastructure for sustainable financial innovation across Africa. During a fireside conversation at The Borderless Experience 2026 in Lagos, Akeem Lawal, managing director of Payment Processing & Switching at Interswitch Purepay, discussed the vital role of collaboration among fintechs, commercial banks, infrastructure providers, and regulators.

Lawal stated that fintechs cannot address the challenges of financial innovation independently and stressed the need for banks and infrastructure providers to establish compliant and transparent frameworks that allow fintechs to innovate. He articulated that the effectiveness of innovation is contingent upon the supporting infrastructure.

Lawal's insights reflect Interswitch's commitment to fostering a financial ecosystem that is both rapid and sustainable. He also pointed out that trust remains a significant barrier in cross-border and contactless payments, as customers often perceive transactions without PIN entry as less secure.

He concluded by stating that the future of fintech hinges on building enduring infrastructure.