‘Fintech Founders Must Drive More Investment For Investors’ Confidence’

There is the need for founders within the fintech ecosystem to boost investors’ confidence to drive more investment across the continent, says managing director, PalmPay Nigeria, Chika Nwosu.

Nwosu added that working closely with investors is vital to creating value.

Speaking at the recently concluded 2024 Nigeria Fintech Week in Lagos, Nigeria, held on October 8th and 10th, 2024, Nwosu stated that, “the fintech ecosystem is not saturated but founders need to be mindful of building investor’s confidence amid currency devaluation and rising interest rates.

“We have seen that most of the currencies of sub-Saharan Africa have plummeted against the US dollar, including the Egyptian pound, Naira, Rand, Cedi, Congolese franc, and Kenyan shilling. This devaluation is impacting the value of investments, which in turn, lowers investor confidence and makes it difficult for fintech startups to secure funding.”

Nwosu, who participated in a high-profile panel discussion themed ‘Safeguarding the Funding Pipeline for Fintech in Africa,’ stated that, founders can mitigate these challenges by diversifying their revenue streams and expanding into multiple geographical regions.

He noted that, relying solely on one market can expose companies to regional economic volatility, adding that, ‘by entering diverse markets, fintechs can spread their risk and minimise the impact of instability in any single region.’ He gave the example of Palmpay being operational not only in Nigeria but also in Tanzania, Ghana, and other markets.

The 2024 Nigeria Fintech Week held under the overarching theme: ‘Positioning Africa’s Fintech Ecosystem to Accelerate Growth,’ with a key focus on seeking more investors who see the long-term value of investing in Africa.

The conference brought together industry leaders, policymakers, investors, and innovators to chart the future of Africa’s financial technology landscape.

According to the president of FintechNGR, Ade Bajomo, “Investments in the fintech sector in Africa declined significantly, dropping 77% to US$186 million from US$826 million in H1 2023. The number of deals decreased 30% year-on-year and average deal size fell to US$4 million in H1 2024 from US$10.5 million in H1 2023. However, we still have many growth opportunities in the continent.”

The panel session also weighed in on the need for founders to continuously engage with policy makers and regulators to stay informed.