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Growth in Africa Fintech Drives Growth in Cyberattacks – Kaspersky

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Africa’s Fintech sector is booming! According to reports, Africa’s Fintech ecosystem has surged 60% in the last two years and the continent’s Fintech firms have grown to 491 from 301 in 2017, with $132.8 million raised in 2018, making last year the sector’s best year yet – and proving the sector’s readiness given the high mobile phone penetration levels and the boom in mobile financial services and payment technologies.

In fact, the development of mobile technology has paved the way for Africa’s Fintech revolution where South Africa, Nigeria and Kenya account for 65.2% of Africa’s Fintech startups. “Such Fintechs have had a significant impact on the financial services landscape of these countries, where locally, these solutions are reaching more Kenyans than ever before.

“In fact, Kenya has brought about practical Fintech experiences making it one of the most financially inclusive countries in Africa and where mobile money transactions contribute a significant percentage to the country’s GDP,” says Bethwel Opil, Enterprise Sales Manager at Kaspersky in Africa.

Locally, many businesses and consumers are taking advantage of the ability to use digital methods to move money around. However, this emerging Fintech space is also becoming an increasing target for cybercriminals.

“Young startups are always more exposed than traditional businesses, and their undeveloped infrastructure, especially at startup stage, make them an easier target than traditional banks,” says Opil. “Additionally, there are a growing number of businesses that are using or offering cryptocurrency and mobile money as payment methods and cybercriminals are embracing this trend, using sophisticated techniques to access funds.”

The rise of cyberattacks

Operating over the Internet makes Fintechs vulnerable to technological problems and cybercrime and, while mobile payment methods offer a convenience that is hard to debate, the system is suffering a wave of attack. SIM swap fraud is being used to not only steal credentials and capture one-time passwords (OTPs) sent via an SMS, but also to cause financial damage to victims by resetting the accounts and allowing fraudsters to access currency accounts not only in banks, but also in Fintechs and credit unions.

“Most Fintech companies do not have proper defences in place to protect their services and their users against a data breach and the unregulated market doesn’t make it easier,” add Opil.

“We are also now seeing cybercriminals demanding ransoms in cryptocurrency given the anonymity of the market and the fact that there is little chance of being tracked. As a result, security education, awareness and ensuring that it is seen as a priority is critical as the Fintech market grows.”

According to Opil, there is also no substitute for vigilance – if something looks suspicious in any way, do not make the payment or investment. Consumers who are using mobile cryptocurrency as an investment or payment method should also ensure that they verify the wallet’s address.

“Don’t just follow links, double check everything before sending the transaction and make sure you use a high-quality security solution to safeguard the devices you use.”

The Fintech market in Africa will continue to grow – providing high growth potential and opportunities for investments, while simultaneously addressing the need for financial inclusion.

“However, like any growing digital economy, where there is opportunity, there are cybercriminals. And while cybercrime and the importance of security has certainly come to the fore, it needs to be a priority on the business agenda to ensure we can reap the benefits of a maturing Fintech space,” concludes Opil.


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E-Financial

Flutterwave Rises from Lagos Startup to Africa’s Fintech Powerhouse

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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 Rises from Lagos Startup to Africa’s Fintech Powerhouse

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.


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CIBN Pledges Full Support to New ACAMB Leadership, Backs Ambitious Roadmap

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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.

CIBN Pledges Full Support to New ACAMB Leadership, Backs Ambitious Roadmap

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.


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E-Financial

Kuda Bank Teams Up with Lovers & Frnds for Inclusive Valentine’s R&B Bash

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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 Teams Up with Lovers & Frnds for Inclusive Valentine’s R&B Bash

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.”


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