By Moses Nosike

FirstBank, the premier West African financial institution and financial inclusion service provider has expressed excitement at its two day 6th annual Fintech Summit, themed “Banking on Partnerships,” which took place on November 13 and 14, 2024.

From the management source, this year’s edition brought together renowned subject matter experts, innovators, and industry leaders from around the world to explore the latest trends and advancements in financial technology.

“Since its inception in 2016, the FirstBank Fintech Summit has established itself as a premier event, attracting top subject matter experts in digital innovation from Nigeria and around the globe. While the summit transitioned online in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s event was hosted as a hybrid affair, enabling participants from around the world to engage with renowned speakers and insightful discussion.

A key highlight of this year’s summit was the launch of the Fintech Innovators Pitch Programme, designed to empower early-stage fintech startups and cultivate innovation within the financial services ecosystem. Selected startups benefitted from intensive training and mentorship, culminating in an opportunity to pitch their groundbreaking solutions to FirstBank, prominent investors, and industry experts. Winning Startups received essential support from FirstBank to propel their products to market, including strategic guidance, resources, and access to a vast network.

The FirstBank Fintech Summit 6.0 was a dynamic lineup of sessions and invaluable networking opportunities, which made it attractive for industry leaders and innovators. The two-day Summit featured expert keynote addresses and panel discussions, regulatory roundtable, investor roundtable, fireside chats and masterclasses.

Emmanuel Daniel, the founder of TAB Global—a research, publication, and consulting firm known for platforms like The Asian Banker, Wealth and Society, The Banking Academy, and TAB Insights—was a key speaker at the event. Others were Olusegun Alebiosu, the Managing Director and CEO of FirstBank Group, along with a lineup of distinguished guest speakers and panellists which included Dr. (Mrs) Markie Idowu, GMD/CEO of Xpress Payment Solutions Limited; DeRemi Atanda, Managing Director of Remita; Tomilola Majekodunmi, Co-Founder and CEO of Bankly; Obi Emetarom, Co-Founder and CEO of ZONE; Oladipo Alabede, Regional Managing Director, West Africa (Acquiring)Network International; Obianuju Odukwe, VP of Digital & API Ecosystems at Interswitch Group; Ashley Immanuel, Co-Founder and COO of SemiColon; Chijioke Dozie, Co-Founder of Carbon; Yewande Sulaiman, Managing and Product Consultant at ProduqtEdge.

Speaking on Summit, the CEO FirstBank Group, Olusegun Alebiosu, said, “This year’s summit provided a platform to unite industry leaders, innovators, regulators, and thought leaders to explore how collaboration and partnerships can shape the future of financial services and technology. As FirstBank continues to lead in innovation, this event presented another unique opportunity to -key stakeholders and deepen our understanding of emerging trends in the Fintech landscape emphasizing our role not only as a participant but also as a leading and preferred partner in the Fintech domain.”

The FirstBank Fintech Summit is one of the initiatives that the Bank has established to drive innovation and foster growth in the financial technology sector. By bringing together thought leaders and disruptors in the field, the Summit serves as a catalyst for transformative ideas and collaboration”.