The FITSPA Annual Fintech Conference Highlights Collaboration As Key To Africa’s Digital Revolution.
Oct 17, 2025
The 7th FITSPA Annual Fintech Conference 2025 once again cemented its place as Africa’s premier gathering for financial technology leaders, innovators, and regulators. With the theme “Fintech for Sustainable Growth: Innovations, Investments & Inclusion,” this year’s convening brought together over 1,000 participants from across the continent — uniting regulators, investors, financial institutions, startups, and development partners in one powerful conversation on the future of fintech.
From the very first panel to the final networking session, a single message resonated across every discussion: Africa’s fintech growth story will be written through collaboration, not competition.
A Call for a Unified Fintech Ecosystem
Setting the tone for the event, FITSPA Board Chair and FutureLink Technologies CEO, Vincent Tumwijukye, drew a parallel between Silicon Valley’s rise and Africa’s fintech opportunity. “Just like Silicon became the spark that built a $14 trillion market valuation in the Valley, Mobile Money is Africa’s spark. But to unlock its full potential, we must accelerate innovation, talent development, and access to high-risk capital,” he emphasized.
His remarks echoed the spirit of collaboration that has defined FITSPA’s mission — fostering an ecosystem where fintechs, regulators, and financial institutions work hand in hand to advance digital inclusion.
Collaboration Beyond Boundaries
The CEOs & Founders Fireside chat was one of the most anticipated sessions, featuring industry giants Sitoyo Lopokoiyit (CEO, M-PESA Africa), Sylvia Mulinge MBS (CEO, MTN Uganda), and Richard Yego (CEO, MTN MoMo Uganda), moderated by Peter Kawumi (Managing Director, Interswitch East Africa).
Drawing from his deep experience leading Africa’s largest mobile money platform, Sitoyo called for “collaboration beyond our usual confines.” He reminded delegates that inclusion will not be achieved by a few large players alone but through shared infrastructure, interoperability, and collective effort.
Sylvia Mulinge reinforced this call, highlighting MTN Uganda’s ongoing partnerships across the fintech landscape and how purpose-driven innovation can transform millions of lives. “It’s no longer about who owns the customer; it’s about how we serve the customer better — together,” she remarked.
Richard Yego added that true progress will come when industry players view each other as partners in inclusion rather than competitors for market share. He cited MTN MoMo’s open API initiatives and partnerships with fintech startups as a blueprint for industry-wide synergy.
Public and Private Sector Synergy
A defining feature of 7th FITSPA Annual Fintech Conference 2025 was the strong presence of regulators and policymakers. The Bank of Uganda and Capital Markets Authority (CMA) actively participated, signaling a new era of cooperation between innovators and regulators.
This engagement underscored a growing realization — that building Africa’s digital economy requires both the agility of innovators and the stability of sound regulation. The conference served as fertile ground for conversations about trust, risk, and the evolving role of digital finance in national development.
Partnerships Driving Real Impact
Beyond the panels, the conference floor buzzed with energy as development partners and corporate sponsors showcased the power of collective investment in innovation. Key sponsors included UNCDF, MTN Uganda, Stanbic Bank Uganda, Interswitch, aBi Finance, Bank of Uganda, Capital Markets Authority, M-KOPA, and several other FITSPA members.
Their joint commitment demonstrated that progress in fintech isn’t a solo effort — it’s an ecosystem movement fueled by shared vision and collaboration.
