“Collaboration, Not Resistance: Flutterwave CEO Champions Regulatory Partnerships as Key to Africa’s $10B Fintech Growth”

Flutterwave CEO, Olugbenga Agboola, has stressed the importance of regulatory collaboration as the cornerstone for Africa’s growing fintech success, which is estimated to reach a $10 billion valuation. Speaking at the GITEX Africa 2025 tech summit in Morocco, Agboola addressed a panel of industry leaders, investors, and policymakers, where he firmly dispelled the widespread perception that regulatory bodies in Africa act as barriers to innovation. Instead, he described African regulators as progressive and innovation-friendly, albeit deeply committed to ensuring accountability and protecting consumers in the evolving digital finance landscape.

Drawing from his experience at the helm of Flutterwave—Africa’s largest payments technology company, founded in 2016 and now operational in over 30 African countries—Agboola emphasized that fintech founders must embrace a cooperative and proactive mindset when engaging with regulators. Flutterwave, having raised over $450 million in funding and processing more than 400 million transactions annually, is a prime example of how strategic regulatory engagement and robust compliance systems can scale fintech success across the continent. Agboola explained that in dynamic markets like Nigeria, Ghana, Rwanda, and Kenya, regulators have introduced innovative measures such as regulatory sandboxes, allowing fintech firms to test solutions in safe, controlled environments before going to market.

These frameworks support responsible innovation and ensure that user trust and financial system integrity are not compromised. Highlighting the pivotal role of compliance in the payments sector, he noted that trust is the true currency of fintech, and a strong regulatory relationship enables swift resolution when challenges arise. Agboola also referenced Flutterwave’s recent partnership with Nigeria’s Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) as a model of public-private collaboration.

This initiative simplifies tax payments and drives greater compliance among individuals and businesses by offering multiple digital payment options, real-time tracking, and offline capabilities. He further remarked that trust between fintechs and regulators is not just helpful—it is mission-critical. In his view, the future of Africa’s digital financial ecosystem will be shaped by those who can build long-term, transparent relationships with regulatory stakeholders.

As financial inclusion deepens and digital adoption accelerates across Africa, the companies that thrive will be those that view regulation not as an obstacle but as a strategic partner in building systems that are inclusive, secure, and sustainable. Agboola’s remarks come at a pivotal time as Africa emerges as a global hub for fintech innovation, with increasing investor interest and an expanding user base that demands efficiency, safety, and accessibility in financial services.