E-Financial
How Fraudsters Trick Finance Worker into Paying them $25m Using Deepfake AI to Pose as Chief Financial Officer

A finance worker at a multinational firm was tricked into paying out $25 million to fraudsters using deepfake technology to pose as the company’s chief financial officer in a video conference call, according to Hong Kong police.

The scam saw the worker duped into attending a video call with what he thought were several other members of staff, but all of whom were in fact deepfake recreations, Hong Kong police said at a briefing.
“(In the) multi-person video conference, it turns out that everyone [he saw] was fake,” senior superintendent Baron Chan Shun-ching told the city’s public broadcaster RTHK.
Chan said the worker had grown suspicious after he received a message that was purportedly from the company’s UK-based chief financial officer. Initially, the worker suspected it was a phishing email, as it talked of the need for a secret transaction to be carried out.
However, the worker put aside his early doubts after the video call because other people in attendance had looked and sounded just like colleagues he recognized, Chan said.
Believing everyone else on the call was real, the worker agreed to remit a total of $200 million Hong Kong dollars – about $25.6 million, the police officer added.
The case is one of several recent episodes in which fraudsters are believed to have used deepfake technology to modify publicly available video and other footage to cheat people out of money.
At the press briefing this weekend, Hong Kong police said they had made six arrests in connection with such scams.
Chan said that eight stolen Hong Kong identity cards – all of which had been reported as lost by their owners – were used to make 90 loan applications and 54 bank account registrations between July and September last year.
On at least 20 occasions, AI deepfakes had been used to trick facial recognition programs by imitating the people pictured on the identity cards, according to police.
The scam involving the fake CFO was only discovered when the employee later checked with the corporation’s head office.
E-Financial
Flutterwave Rises from Lagos Startup to Africa’s Fintech Powerhouse

Flutterwave has transformed from a modest Lagos venture into one of Africa’s most valuable fintech firms, processing billions in transactions yearly across 30+ countries and 150+ currencies.

Flutterwave
Founded in 2016 by Iyinoluwa Aboyeji, Olugbenga “GB” Agboola, and Adeleke Adekoya, it tackled Africa’s fragmented payments—siloed banks, mobile money gaps, and unreliable cross-border flows—with a unified API for seamless collections, payouts, and settlements.
Founding Vision
The trio spotted the pain: Aboyeji’s Andela faced border delays; Agboola drew from PayPal/Google; Adekoya handled compliance. Early wins included Uber Nigeria payouts from a Lekki co-working space, proving scalability amid lean ops.
Growth Milestones
2017–2020: $10M seed/Series A fueled West Africa push; Agboola took CEO helm post-Aboyeji; COVID boosted e-commerce volumes.
2021–2022: Unicorn at $1B+ (Series C, $170M); $3B+ valuation (Series D, $250M); partnerships with Microsoft, Uber; Send App for US diaspora.
2025–2026: Profitability focus yields better margins; 34 US licenses; Mono acquisition ($25–40M) bolsters open banking.
Challenges Overcome
Regulatory hurdles hit: Kenya 2022 freeze (cleared); Nigeria fraud claims (resolved, controls enhanced); culture probes led to reforms with ex-Mastercard/Stripe hires. These underscore multi-jurisdiction risks like FX curbs and cyber threats.
Nigeria’s Fintech Role
Flutterwave anchors alongside Paystack (Stripe-owned), Moniepoint, amid CBN cash curbs and AfCFTA trade boosts. Dual HQ in Lagos/SF eyes IPO post-profitability, cementing it as Africa’s payments backbone.
E-Financial
CIBN Pledges Full Support to New ACAMB Leadership, Backs Ambitious Roadmap

Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) has pledged its full support to the Association of Corporate and Marketing Professionals in Banks (ACAMB) following a high-level strategic meeting between the leadership of both bodies.

New ACAMB Leadership
The high profile meeting, which took place on Tuesday at the CIBN Building, Lagos, served as a formal introduction of the new ACAMB Executive Committee to the CIBN leadership and marked the beginning of a renewed collaborative alliance.
Leading a delegation of the newly inaugurated ACAMB EXCO and Board of Trustees, the President, Jide Sipe, described the visit as a crucial first step in his tenure, aimed at contributing significantly in giving flight to his vision and that of ACAMB.”
“When we assumed office, one of the first things we agreed on was the need to visit key stakeholders”
“However, before reaching out more broadly, we felt it was important to begin with our primary constituency and core stakeholders. We want them to understand the direction we are taking and to support the work we are doing, so that ACAMB can achieve greater success than it has in the past”
“We couldn’t have properly started our tenure without this very important meeting with the CIBN,” Sipe stated
Sipe introduced the newly constituted ACAMB Exco, which includes, the 2nd Vice President, Morolake Phillip-Ladipo; General Secretary, Olugbenga Owootomo, Assistant General Secretary, Ademola Adeshola; Publicity Secretary, Abiodun Coker, and Executive Secretary, Fadekemi Ajakaiye
During his address, Sipe unveiled an ambitious roadmap for the association, highlighting a new direction focused on youth engagement, professional development, and industry advocacy.
Responding, the CIBN President, Professor Pius Deji Olanrewaju, who warmly received the ACAMB team, commended their forward-thinking vision as he noted that, the association would be focusing on critical areas such as reputational management, sustainable corporate practices, and governance reforms
Olarenwaju also commended ACAMB’s collaboration with CIBN in information management, saying it had raised standards across Nigeria’s banking sector.
“ACAMB’s support has given CIBN and the banking sector brand equity,” he said, praising the association’s record in reputation management.
He recalled ACAMB’s role in addressing crises within the sector, describing the partnership as strategic and beneficial.
He further pledged support for ACAMB’s 30th anniversary in September 2026, its AGM, and other programmes, including fundraising initiatives.
Olarenwaju also promised backing for ACAMB’s capability development and undergraduate mentorship schemes.
“I want to assure you that everything you have presented today has been clearly noted and will be acted upon”
“We are fully committed to working closely with you so as to translate these discussions and vision into measurable progress. Our shared goal is to strengthen the sector, protect its reputation, and enhance its public image in a meaningful and lasting way”
“This meeting discussed various initiatives and reforms crucial for the future of our industry, including the need for continuous training and adaptation to new programs,” Prof. Olanrewaju said.
The meeting concluded on a high note, with both parties expressing gratitude and a firm commitment to deepening their collaboration for the advancement of the banking industry in Nigeria.
E-Financial
Kuda Bank Teams Up with Lovers & Frnds for Inclusive Valentine’s R&B Bash

Kuda Microfinance Bank partnered with Lovers & Frnds for a Valentine’s edition event on Sunday, February 15, at Space Hub Lekki, Lagos, redefining celebrations around love, friendship, and social connections beyond romance.

Kuda Bank
The R&B-themed gathering drew couples, friend groups, and solo attendees with music sets from DJs like TGarbs, games, gift exchanges, and colour-coded tags—red for relationships, yellow for mingling singles, orange for non-minglers—to spark easy interactions.
Kuda activated a branded photo booth, merchandise giveaways, prize activities, and complimentary drinks for Premium loyalty tier customers, while vendors used Kuda Business POS terminals for seamless cashless payments.
Senior Brand Manager Emmanuel Femi-Adejobi said: “We partner with experiences matching our customers’ lifestyles in music and entertainment, creating spaces they genuinely connect with—we’ll keep supporting how they live and celebrate.”
E-Business1 day agoAfDB, UNDP Launch $10Bn AI Initiative for Africa
News2 days agoNITDA Urges Stronger State Partnerships as Key to Digital Economy Goals @ South-South Stakeholders Forum
Telecom2 days agoGSMA Launches Innovation Fund to Accelerate Green Transition Through Mobile Technology
E-Business2 days agoFirm Identifies RenEngine Loader Distributed Through Pirated Games and Software
Telecom2 days agoProf. Adeyanju is Strengthening Nigeria’s Digital Backbone for a Connected Future in Two Years of Purposeful Leadership
E-Financial2 days agoFidelity Bank Launches HerFidelity Apprenticeship Programme 2.0 to Boost Women Entrepreneurship
Telecom1 day agoGrey Expands Cross-Border Banking with USD Accounts, USDC Support
E-Financial2 days agoTAJBank Secures A1 Ratings from Agusto, Datapro

















