MTN Fintech Summit 2025: Shaping Africa’s Digital Financial Future

In September 2025, MTN Group hosted its inaugural Fintech Summit in Johannesburg, drawing over 350 participants from across the continent, including policymakers, regulators, innovators, and business leaders. The summit, themed “Take-Off”, highlighted the growing importance of digital finance as a catalyst for Africa’s economic transformation and underscored MTN’s ambition to accelerate this journey.

At the core of the discussions was the role of mobile money in driving financial inclusion. Today, nearly one in three adults in sub-Saharan Africa uses mobile money, with annual transaction volumes exceeding USD 1.1 trillion and making a significant contribution to regional GDP. Through its MoMo platform, MTN supports more than 283 million active accounts, enabling users not only to make payments but also to access loans, savings, and digital commerce tools. The story of Miriam, a small entrepreneur who has successfully expanded her business through MoMo services, illustrates how digital finance is transforming lives and building resilience for individuals and small businesses.

MTN Fintech CEO Serigne Dioum emphasized that financial inclusion alone is not enough. His vision is to move Africans beyond simply accessing financial services to achieving economic independence and ultimately building wealth. This shift, he explained, represents the next phase of Africa’s digital finance journey — one in which fintech empowers people to create sustainable prosperity.

The conversations at the summit centered on four critical areas that will shape the future of digital financial services in Africa: regulation, innovation, safety, and interoperability. Participants stressed the importance of harmonized regulatory frameworks to facilitate cross-border transactions and support regional trade. Innovation was identified as a key driver of progress, with solutions designed specifically for African contexts — such as AI-powered credit scoring for underserved populations — holding the potential to close gaps left by traditional systems. Safety and trust were also highlighted as non-negotiable, with calls for stronger fraud prevention systems, consumer education, and 24/7 security monitoring. Meanwhile, interoperability was recognized as the missing link in the continent’s payments infrastructure, with fragmented systems and high remittance costs creating barriers to trade and inclusion.

Looking ahead, MTN outlined its strategy for the next five years, which includes launching three dedicated apps for consumers, businesses, and agents. These apps will host mini-ecosystems that provide access to credit, savings, financial education, and business tools. While smartphone adoption continues to rise, MTN reaffirmed its commitment to inclusive growth by maintaining USSD services for rural users who lack internet access. Agents will also remain central to the ecosystem, serving as trusted intermediaries who help people transition into digital services.

The summit concluded with a call to action from Serigne Dioum, who declared, “The future is calling. The engines are ready. The runway is clear. We are ready for Take-Off.” His words captured the spirit of optimism that ran through the event. As MTN positions its Fintech Summit as an annual platform for dialogue, collaboration, and innovation, the 2025 edition made it clear that Africa’s digital finance sector is poised for a transformative leap. The challenge now lies in building systems that not only expand access but also create trust, independence, and long-term prosperity for millions across the continent.