At CNN’s inaugural Global Perspectives summit, Flutterwave Founder and CEO Olugbenga “GB” Agboola shared his vision for Africa’s digital economy, one where Flutterwave serves as the “payment superhighway”, boosting intra- and inter-African trade by connecting the continent to the rest of the world and vice versa.
The summit, themed “Africa’s Role in a Changing World,” brought together public leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators to explore how Africa’s dynamic emerging economies and vibrant younger generation can drive a new era of inclusive and sustainable global growth.
Agboola joined Lucy Liu, Co-founder and President, Airwallex; Alex Okosi, Managing Director, Google Africa; and Serigne Dioum, CEO, MTN Group Fintech, in a session titled “Fueling the Next-Generation Startup Ecosystem,” moderated by veteran CNN anchor Richard Quest.
Acknowledging the continent’s fragmented regulatory environment as a challenge that increases the cost of scaling, Agboola noted that progress is being made. He cited the recent memorandum of understanding between Ghana and Rwanda, aimed at streamlining cross-border fintech operations, as an excellent example of progress.
“Across the continent, regulators are very impressive. They understand how to enable the networks of growth and are focused on empowering players who have the infrastructure and understand the market,” Agboola said, highlighting the critical role of regulation and infrastructure in sustaining the momentum of Africa’s startup ecosystem.
Other panellists echoed Agboola’s optimism about Africa’s regulatory evolution and potential for digital transformation. Alex Okosi highlighted that regulators across the continent increasingly recognise the need for open markets, while Lucy Liu noted that their priorities often focus on ecosystem integrity and protection. Serigne Dioum added that there is a shared vision between regulators and operators to drive financial inclusion and economic dignity.
Reflecting on Africa’s success in pioneering alternative payment methods, from Kenya’s M-Pesa to Nigeria’s Inter-Bank Settlement System Plc (NIBSS), alongside widespread mobile money adoption, Agboola shared his vision for the future of a connected continent where money moves as freely as ideas and innovation.
“What’s been missing is the interoperable infrastructure that connects these systems. At Flutterwave, we’re building that payment superhighway that allows businesses and consumers to move money seamlessly,” Agboola explained.
This vision continues to guide Flutterwave’s growth and strategy with initiatives such as its recent partnership with Polygon to build Africa’s largest infrastructure for stablecoin payments.
