United Bank for Africa Plc (UBA) has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening partnerships between banks and fintech companies across Africa after hosting its inaugural Fintech Conference themed “Navigating Regulatory Milestones: The Future of Bank-Fintech Partnerships.”
The conference brought together over 20 leading fintech companies and key ecosystem stakeholders, including PalmPay, OPay, PayAza, Mastercard, Visa, Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System, and representatives of the Central Bank of Nigeria.
Key discussions at the event focused on regulatory frameworks, innovation, cybersecurity, and the evolving payments landscape across the continent.
Speaking at the opening session, Emmanuel Lamptey, Executive Director, Digital Banking at UBA, emphasized the need for stronger collaboration rather than competition between banks and fintechs.
He noted that combining the scale, trust, and regulatory expertise of banks with the agility and innovation of fintechs would unlock a more inclusive and efficient financial system for Africans.
From an industry standpoint, Peter Ehizogie of Mastercard highlighted Nigeria’s evolving payments ecosystem as both an opportunity and a challenge, stressing that each wave of innovation introduces new risks that must be managed through collaboration.
Also speaking, Seyi Ebenezer, Chief Executive Officer of PayAza, underscored the urgency of deeper ecosystem integration, stating that removing barriers between banks and fintechs is critical to achieving scale and speed.
UBA also showcased its technological advancements, with Gideon Iheama highlighting improvements to Leo, the bank’s AI-powered assistant. The platform now enables conversational transactions, including transfers of up to ₦5 million and foreign currency operations, demonstrating increased adoption and investment in intelligent banking solutions.
In his closing remarks, Shamsideen Fashola stressed the growing importance of cybersecurity in an AI-driven financial ecosystem, noting that institutions must invest heavily in defending against increasingly sophisticated threats.
The conference ended with a strong call for sustained collaboration as a key driver of financial inclusion, resilience, and long-term growth within Africa’s financial ecosystem.
UBA remains one of Africa’s largest financial institutions, employing over 25,000 people and serving more than 45 million customers across 20 African countries, as well as in the United Kingdom, United States, France, and the United Arab Emirates. The bank continues to lead in delivering retail, commercial, and institutional banking services while driving financial inclusion through innovation and technology.
