General News
Is Ethiopia Africa’s sleeping fintech giant?
By Yohannes Tsehai – Country Manager Onafriq Ethiopia
The fintech sector has been one of Africa’s biggest technology success stories. According to one report, the continent’s 678 fintech startups raised more than US$2.7 billion between 2021 and August 2023. Additionally, almost all of the continent’s unicorns (startups valued at more than US$1 billion) are in the fintech sector.
The majority of that success has, however, come from the continent’s three biggest startup markets: South Africa, Kenya, and Nigeria. In fact, 68% of African fintech startups come from these “big three” markets. But things are steadily changing. More and more countries are realising the benefits that come with an active fintech ecosystem, with a growing number of entrepreneurs in those countries also looking to enter the space.
One such country is Ethiopia. Home to more than 120 million people (making it the second most populous country in Africa), the country has many of the right ingredients to become Africa’s next big fintech giant. In addition to the country’s population size, it’s home to large numbers of unbanked people. At the same time, the country continues to experience high economic growth and rapidly increasing connectivity levels. With those and other enabling factors in place, could Ethiopia be Africa’s next big fintech giant?
A changing landscape
A few years ago, that’s not a question many would have dared to ask. More recently, however, several things have changed, which suggests that Ethiopia is waking up to, and embracing its fintech potential.
Take telco licensing, for example. Ethiopia has previously been closed off, with only the state-owned Ethio telecom allowed to operate. But Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed sees the liberalisation of the country’s telecommunications sector as key to its economic future. As such, the country has opened up to other operators. In October 2022, Safaricom became Ethiopia’s second official operator.
In the ensuing months, it has built up a 4 million-strong customer base and added 1.2 million users to its M-Pesa mobile money platform. Over time, those numbers will continue to grow. And while the bidding process for a third telco license has had to be put on ice for the moment, Ethiopia’s strong economic growth means that it’s only a matter of time before one is granted.
Those telcos will play a critical role in establishing an Ethiopian fintech ecosystem too. Right now, the country has a 53.5% mobile penetration rate but mobile connections grew by nearly 18% between 2022 and 2023. With 75% of the country’s population reportedly unbanked, increasing connectivity levels is one of the most powerful ways of giving people access to financial products, both from telcos and third parties, as demonstrated by Ethio telecom’s mobile money app Telebirr having 39.3 million customers.
Another significant move is the establishment of an Ethiopian stock exchange. The exchange, which is set to open in 2024 or 2025, is designed to be a source of funding for the small and medium-sized companies that form the backbone of the country’s economy. For local fintechs looking to raise the capital they need to expand at scale, it could prove critical.
Developing supportive policies
The Ethiopian government has also made significant strides when it comes to developing policies that encourage the growth of a fintech ecosystem. One of the most significant such policies is the National Financial Inclusion Strategy.
According to a research paper published by the GSMA, the aim is to increase financial inclusion from 46% to 70% of all adults by 2025. One of the key avenues it’s identified for doing so is by scaling digital payments through mobile money services. The country additionally aims to increase the use of digital payments from 20% of all adults in 2020 to 49% by 2025.
These policies could be dramatically transformative for both the Ethiopian economy and its people. According to the GSMA, mobile money services “could lift 700,000 people out of poverty, add US$5.3 billion to Ethiopia’s GDP, increase tax revenue by US$300 million and provide a cushion for the economic shocks experienced by almost 40% of Ethiopian households.”
There is, admittedly, a long way to go before mobile money can drive those advancements. GSMA figures show that just 4.2% of adult women and 5.1% of adult men had mobile money accounts in 2022. That said, those numbers are significantly higher than the 0.1% and 0.6% who had accounts in 2017. This suggests that, as much as there’s significant room for mobile money growth in Ethiopia, there’s a sizable and growing appetite too with increasingly accessible outlets.
Putting policy into practice
For policy to be effective, however, it has to be matched with practices that encourage the growth of fintech. Here, too, there are encouraging signs from Ethiopia.
The government has, for instance, used the mobile banking service HelloCash to digitise social protection payments under the flagship Productive Safety Net Programme (PNSP). Additionally, it’s increasingly accepting digital payments for public services such as utilities and has mandated digital-only payments for fuel purchases. The Ministry of Trade, meanwhile, has adopted Ethio’s Telebirr services and now allows traders to pay for services like commercial registration, trade licences and trade name-related service fee payments.
In conjunction with the adoption of mobile money by government departments, its growing use by private sector players such as mid-sized brands like supermarkets, petrol stations, and SMEs should help further drive their adoption.
Growth beyond mobile money
Of course, there are still other things that need to be put in place before Ethiopia really starts to achieve its fintech potential. Reliable interoperability, for example, remains a challenge, as does a shortage of access points and a lack of high-quality agent networks.
None of those challenges are, however, insurmountable. And, given the success that’s already accompanied the adoption of mobile money, overcoming them will help unlock other services that enable digital financial inclusion which have commenced (such as insurance, micro-financing, and savings products).
As more and more of those solutions fall into place, Ethiopia will be well on its way to unlocking its potential and becoming Africa’s next fintech giant.
Abuja Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has arraigned Blessing Gozi-Anyaokei, managing director, Viscount Microfinance Bank, over allegations of unlawful conversion of investment funds amounting to N19 million and $30,000.
Blessing Gozi-Anyaokei, managing director, Viscount Microfinance Bank
Gozi-Anyaokei was brought before Justice Y. Halilu of the Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja, on a two-count charge bordering on alleged illegal conversion and obtaining money under false pretence.
According to a statement issued on Thursday by Dele Oyewale, EFCC spokesperson, the defendant allegedly received N19 million from one Ernest Terkula Jor in 2022 for investment purposes while serving as the Managing Director of the bank.
The anti-graft agency accused her of diverting the funds for personal use, contrary to the provisions of the Penal Code Act.
In the second charge, the EFCC alleged that she also received $30,000 from the same individual for investment purposes but dishonestly converted the money for her personal benefit.
The commission stated that the alleged offences contravene Section 311 of the Penal Code Act Cap 532, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (Abuja) 1990, and are punishable under Section 312 of the same Act.
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read before the court.
Following her plea, prosecution counsel, S.N. Robert, requested a date for the commencement of trial.
Justice Halilu subsequently granted the defendant bail with two sureties who must possess landed property within Abuja.
The court also ordered her to surrender her travel documents and barred her from travelling outside the country without court approval.
The matter was adjourned until July 19, 2026, for commencement of trial.
Ms. Cynthia Rowe, the Head of Development Cooperation at the British High Commission Abuja, has completed high-level engagements with Kano and Jigawa States, reaffirming the United Kingdom’s long-term commitment to development and reform in northern Nigeria.
The engagements with state governors, senior government officials and civil society leaders, underscored the UK’s modern approach to development as a genuine partnership with Nigeria. This approach prioritises state led ownership and sustainable development that delivers lasting impact through strengthening systems and partnerships grounded in investment, trade, climate financing, technical expertise and joint accountability.
Nigeria remains one of the United Kingdom’s most significant development partners, and the engagements underlined the strength and ambition of the bilateral relationship reaffirmed during the recent UK-Nigeria State Visit.
Kano State
In Kano, Head of Development Cooperation, Cynthia Rowe, met with Deputy Governor Alhaji Murtala Sule Garo and senior officials including the newly confirmed Head of Civil Service and Secretary to the State Government. The visit recognised Kano’s progress on climate finance, health system reform and private sector investment supported through UK technical assistance.
Jigawa State
In Jigawa, she met with Governor Umar Namadi and heads of key ministries, departments and agencies. The meeting celebrated more than 25 years of UK-Jigawa partnership, one of the most longstanding bilateral development relationships at the subnational level in Nigeria. Discussions covered the state’s continued progress on health systems reform, agriculture, and governance and the path forward under UK-technical assistance.
Since 2022, PLANE has supported Kano, Kaduna and Jigawa to strengthen state-led education delivery systems, working through Ministries of Education, SUBEB and key agencies. Its RANA+ foundational learning packages have reached 1.4 million pupils across the three states, alongside wider system strengthening.
At the end of the visit, the Head of Development Cooperation, Cynthia Rowe said: “For more than 25 years, we have worked side by side with state governments including Jigawa and Kano states, their communities, and civil society to build stronger health systems, improve learning outcomes for millions of children, support farmers to grow their businesses, and help states attract the investment they need to thrive.
These visits have reinforced our confidence in what this partnership can achieve. We are working together to deliver lasting change, and deepening a relationship built on genuine mutual respect and shared ambition for Nigeria’s growth and development.”
The Green Finance Investment Facility (GFiF), a blended finance platform to mobilise large-scale private and institutional investment into distributed renewable energy infrastructure across Nigeria, has officially launched.
The facility, led by Barton Heyman Limited in partnership with the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), UK PACT, First City Monument Bank (FCMB), and ARMHIIL, aims to raise $188 million to finance 191 megawatts of distributed solar capacity for households, communities, and businesses across Nigeria.
The initiative also supports the Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Scale-Up (DARES) programme, a national effort to expand electricity access through decentralised renewable energy solutions.
Launched on May 7, 2026, in Lagos, the platform brought together financial institutions, renewable energy developers, policymakers, and development finance stakeholders. Its goal is to unlock financing solutions that accelerate energy access, reduce financing gaps, and support Nigeria’s transition to cleaner, more sustainable energy systems.
Speaking at the launch, the Managing Partner of Barton Heyman Limited, Olumide Lala, described the facility as a market-driven model capable of unlocking private capital at scale for Nigeria’s energy transition.
“The Green Finance Investment Facility is more than a financing arrangement; it represents direct support for over one million Nigerians. Nigeria’s distributed renewable energy sector can be financed using a private-sector framework that leverages sovereign pipelines, results-based funding, and commercial loans to attract private capital at the national level. This is our initial step to raise $40 billion to finance 20 gigawatts of distributed renewable energy,” he said.
Also speaking, Anthony Feyitimi, Senior Partner, Barton Heyman, said: “The Green Finance and Investment Facility is not simply about clean energy. It is about what reliable, distributed power makes possible for Nigeria’s economy. Every megawatt we finance is a business that can operate, a supply chain that can function, a community that can compete.
“We have structured a blended finance platform that brings together sovereign pipelines, results-based funding, and commercial capital into a single, replicable facility. The GFIF Pilot is our first $188 million step. The platform’s ambition is $40 billion and 20 gigawatts. We are building it from Nigeria, for Nigeria.”
The Managing Director of the REA, Abba Aliyu, said the initiative directly addresses one of the sector’s most pressing constraints — access to finance.
“The Green Finance Investment Facility can tackle access to finance, one of the main barriers to renewable energy deployment. Today’s launch is the outcome of a strategic partnership created to ensure communities lacking reliable power can access electricity. We are proud of what this facility signifies for Nigeria’s energy future,” he stated.
Speaking on behalf of FCMB, George Ogbonnaya, Senior Vice President and Divisional Head, Business Banking Group, highlighted the Bank’s expanding role in renewable energy financing and inclusive infrastructure development.
“FCMB has established itself as a leading renewable energy financing institution, serving as a first-time lender to many players driving growth in the sector. We have committed ₦100 billion in debt financing for DARES. Currently, we are funding over eight developers under the DARES isolated mini-grid Performance-Based Grant programme and finalising funding for another seven developers.
“We will continue to support developers in scaling and meeting electrification targets, improving quality of life in rural and peri-urban communities. This aligns strongly with our purpose of fostering sustainable growth within the communities we serve,” he said.
He further disclosed that FCMB has financed more than 42 mini-grid projects and is supporting efforts to connect over 2 million households, in line with Nigeria’s national electrification objectives.Nigerian politics analysis
Derek Chime, Chief Investment Officer at ARM Harith Infrastructure Investment Limited (ARMHIIL), called for deeper collaboration across the ecosystem to unlock more investment into renewable energy infrastructure.
Simon Field, Deputy Head of Mission at the British High Commission in Lagos, reaffirmed UK PACT’s commitment to strengthening green finance frameworks and expanding renewable energy adoption in Nigeria.
Titilayo Oshodi, Special Adviser on Climate Change and Circular Economy to the Governor of Lagos State, stressed the importance of coordinated investment, innovation, and policy support in accelerating sustainable energy access.
Nigeria continues to face significant challenges in electricity access, with millions of households and businesses lacking a reliable power supply. Stakeholders at the launch noted that initiatives like GFiF are critical to mobilising long-term capital, reducing investment risk, and accelerating the deployment of clean energy solutions to power communities nationwide.
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