Futuristic Innovator and financial technology company, Advansio, recently organized the first-ever interactive session tagged: “Fintech for Growth” designed to foster collaboration within the Fintech industry, empowers FinTech startups as well as encourage more female fintech founders.

The event which took place in Lagos had over 100 budding fintech, fintech enthusiasts, industry leaders, innovators, and regulators in attendance.

In the same vein, to encourage economic growth and development within Nigeria and Africa through financial technology, Advansio launched a startup fund to support startups with the required fund to propel their business idea and growth, most importantly FEMALE Fintech Founders.

Following this, Advansio in collaboration with TAJ Bank gifted the sum of N1,000,000 to a female fintech startup and founder of Regixta credit, Rukayat Bello, emerging the overall winner of the Advansio Fintech for Growth contest. Regixta Credit made it to the top 6 out of 100 applications and eventually win the coveted prize money

Speaking at the event, the founder/ CEO, of Advansio Mr. Olufisayo Oludare noted that the firm has impacted the fintech Industry and Community as well as building a business that is constantly looking for ways to improve the lives of Nigerians and Africans through easy access to financial services and product to both the banked, unbanked, and underserved.

‘’We recognize that there are a lot of people that are in our space that also need support.  Support in terms of advice, experience, and grants. What we’ve done is to bring together skilled people who have succeeded in our space to come and advise those who are trying or struggling within our space. 

‘’And in addition to that, we’ve also noticed that female FinTech founders find it harder to get finance or support grants. As you know, many things are harder for women. So, our focus is to provide financial grants to those female founders today. We got hundreds of applications, but we trimmed it down to six. And then one person will be going home with an N1m grant.  There are no strings attached and don’t expect anything back from it. It is a way of contributing to our ecosystem,’’ Olufisayo said.

In the same vein, Co-Founder/CTO, Ikenna Agugua said: ‘’More and more fintech is coming out into the space. In the next five years, I believe that we will have a huge impact on the nation’s economy. So, investing and supporting women and startups in the different tech spaces should be encouraged as fintech in Nigeria has come to stay.’’

Olufisayo reiterated that the Fintech industry in Nigeria and Africa is growing at an exponential scale but there is still a lot more to be done stressing the Fintech for Growth event has come to stay and will include many startups looking to change, impact and influence the future of fintech in Nigeria and Africa.