About Us
AFRICA CASHLESS PAYMENT SYSTEMS CONFERENCE
For many decades, Africa had limited access to traditional financial services such as reliable financial technology, loans, insurance, and credit facilities.
However, the continent has recently begun to witness unprecedented growth in its Financial Technology sector (popularly known as Fintech). This growth may be attributable to the fact that many countries in Africa have been able to showcase their potential for economic growth, causing them to be attractive to foreign investors across the globe.
2021 was a record year for Fintech investment in Africa, and the momentum is only likely to increase. After the brief economic disruptions occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic, the deals came back with massive foreign investment inflow. Available data show that over US $1.6bn were invested across 153 deals, two times the value of 2020 (US $800m) and representing a 50% increase in transaction numbers.
The key investment markets remain Nigeria & Ghana in the West, Kenya in the East, and South Africa in the South. Other countries such as Egypt have also seen some sizeable deals. In Nigeria, the value of deals in the first quarter of 2021 alone outstripped that of 2020. To raise such a quantum of finance from foreign sources is unprecedented in a period when other economies are witnessing very slow recovery from the pandemic.
Africa is the second largest banking market in the world today in terms of growth and profitability, partly because of the rapid adoption of new technology. Although most customers are yet to enroll into the use of tech-enabled banking solutions, such facilities are available in about 80% of African banks while the rest plan to roll them out in the nearest future. Just 12% of African banks regard themselves as ‘digital-first banks’ and another 48% are transitioning towards becoming ‘digital-first banks’. Hence, the landscape of the African banking industry will look very different in the near future.
According to a report from Disrupt Africa, a tech-focused research and news organization based in the region – the African fintech market has been accelerating, with startup companies securing around $330.5 million in the first half of 2021, which is more than double the amount raised in 2020. As internet and mobile usage continues to grow, financial services in several major emerging African markets such as Nigeria, Kenya, and Egypt are bypassing traditional banking processes in favor of an efficient tech-enabled solutions such as mobile money.
The last two years have seen a strong inflow of Foreign Direct Investment into the continent. In 2020, approximately $744 million was invested in Fintech in Africa, accounting for 31% of the total inflows into the continent.
In 2021, the interest in African Fintech startups exploded, with Fintech start-ups focused on the continent raising $3.03 billion in disclosed funding rounds. This accounted for a massive 62% of the total investment inflows, according to the latest Africa Investment Report, which was published by research and intelligence firm, Briter Bridges.
Africa is regarded as the world’s second-fastest growing and profitable payments and banking market after Latin America, according to McKinsey study, and this only means that the fintech sector is likely to continue to attract investors tapping into the increasing growth opportunities.
The continent is inching towards becoming a global leader in mobile money adoption, accounting for the bulk of the mobile money transactions made in 2020 – a year that saw the number of mobile money accounts rise by 43%. Mobile money success across the continent is likely due to ease in access brought by advancements in telecommunications technology.
30+ Speakers
Dignitaries & Industry experts from all over Africa
15+ Main Sponsor
We are sponsored by top organizations & media partners from all over Africa, UK & the US.
Why Attend?
The African Cashless will present over 30 expert speakers; more than 90 presentations and case studies; 20+ sessions on a wide range of topics and four tracks connecting supply and demand. Attendees will be able to network with their industry peers most of whom are decision makers and leaders in the industry. Participants will arrive from 45+ countries with the majority of attendees from Africa.
ABOUT THE ORGANISERS
Foreign Investment Network (FIN) Group United Kingdom, established in 2001, is a global consulting company with an Africa regional office in Nigeria. We publish FIN Magazine, a prestigious investment magazine available in English, French, and Chinese worldwide. As the African knowledge partner of Forbes Best of Africa Awards, Euro knowledge Awards, and FIN Awards, we organize international conferences, roundtable meetings, and exhibitions in various sectors including Energy, Oil & Gas, Construction/Infrastructure, Real Estate, Finance & Fintech, Mining, and Emerging markets.
We specialize in promoting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and infrastructure financing, particularly in developing economies in Africa. With a strong track record of connecting people and attracting investments for over 30 years, we have established a solid business relationship with international institutional investors. We also have a close partnership with the international media and act as Forbes' representative in Africa.
Our mandates include organizing events, facilitating mergers and acquisitions, conducting media campaigns, providing consulting services, fostering partnerships, and securing project financing and investments for governments and countries. Ultimately, our goal is to provide comprehensive communication services that drive sector growth and investment.
38 PERSONS, ORGANIZATIONS HONORED AT MAIDEN FIN CASHLESS AWARD
About 38 Tech leaders, Captains of Industries, Business leaders and organizations were honored at the maiden edition of FIN Cashless Awards which held at the plush Movempick Ambassador Hotel in Accra, in 2021.
The awardees comprised of 21 personalities and 19 organizations from across Africa.
The awards event climaxed the maiden edition of African Cashless Payments Systems (ACPS) Conference in Ghana, where several industry players discussed how to use digitalization and cashless payments to drive intra-continental trade within the context of the AfCFTA (Africa Continental Free Trade Area).
It was organized by the Foreign Investment Network (FIN) to facilitate the creation of seamless bridges between the cashless platforms across the continent in order to leapfrog the hurdles in the way of trade on the continent.
The organizations honored include K-NET, MTN Ghana, Vodafone Ghana, Afriwave, Zeepay, Hubtel, IT Consortium, Mobile Zone, CBG, Ecobank, Ghana Revenue Authority, Bank of Ghana, Ghana Interbank Payments and Settlements Systems, National Communications Authority and others.
The personalities included Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, Communications and Digitalization Minister Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, Vice President’s Executive Secretary, Augustine Blay, Mobile Zone CEO, Maxwell Techie, Hubtel CEO, Alex Bram, K-NET CEO, Richard Hlomador, Vodafone Ghana CEO, Patricia Obo-Nai, MTN Ghana CEO, Selorm Adadevoh and yours truly Samuel Dowuona, TechGH24 Editor.
Below is a full list of awardees for the night.
- FIN Cashless Company of the Year – MTN Ghana
- FIN Outstanding Digital Banking Product of the Year – CBG *924# Get Digi With It
- FIN FinTech Company of the Year – Zeepay
- FIN Interconnect Clearinghouse of the Year – Afriwave Telecom Ghana
- FIN Mobile Product of the Year – Ecobank Mobile
- FIN Mobile Money Innovation of the Year – Vodafone Cash Free Transfer
- FIN Cashless Platform of the Year – Mobile Money Interoperability
- FIN Digital Startup of the Year – BezoMoney
- FIN Digital Company of the Year – Hubtel
- FIN Security Product of the Year – Majestic Coin – Nigeria
- FIN Cash Economy Promoter of the Year – GhIPSS
- FIN Cashless Policy of the Year – Ghana.gov
- FIN Mobile Device Distributor of the Year – Mobile Zone (Tecno)
- FIN Digital Investor of the Year – FAMACO
- FIN Outstanding Customer Service Award – MTN Ghana
- FIN Leading Institution in Digital Technology – IT Consortium
- FIN Cashless Product Consumer of the Year – Ghana Revenue Authority
- FIN Cashless Payments Regulator of the Year – Bank of Ghana
- FIN Digital Industry Regulator of the Year – National Communications Authority
- FIN Cashless Bank of the Year – First Bank
- FIN Technology Infrastructure Backbone Company – K-NET
- FIN IoT Infrastructure Champion – K-NET
PERSONALITIES
- FIN Outstanding eCommerce Personality – Alex Bram, CEO, Hubtel
- FIN Special Award for DTT Personality of the Year – Richard Hlomador, CEO – KNET
- FIN Cashless Entrepreneur of the Year – Moses Kanduri – CEO, AlexPay
- FIN Outstanding CEO of the Year – Patricia Obo-Nai – CEO – Vodafone Ghana
- FIN Exceptional Leadership Award – Selorm Adadevoh – MTN Ghana CEO
- FIN Leadership in Digital Finance Policy Rollout – Ken Ofori-Atta, Finance Minister
- FIN Digital Personality of the Year – Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, Minister of Communications and Digitalization
- FIN Digital Personality of the Year – Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami – Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Nigeria
- FIN Outstanding IT Personality – Romeo Bugyei, CEO, IT Consortium
- FIN Digital Marketing Personality – Gad Ocran, CEO, EazzySocial
- FIN ICT Reporter of the Year – Sameul Dowuona, Editor, TechGH24
- FIN African Business Magnate Man of the Year – Kelvin Emmanuel Fiifi Ampah – CEO, KJP Group
- FIN African Most Strategic Marketing Media Personality – Dr. Fadda Dickson Narh – MD, Despite Media Group
- FIN Most Outstanding Corporate Female Personality of the Year – Abena Osei-Poku, MD, Abasa Ghana
- FIN Special Award for National Digital Transformation Backbone Staff – Augustine Blay, Chief of Staff, Office of the Vice President
- FIN Mobile Device Personality of the Year – Maxwell Techie, CEO – Mobile Zone
- FIN Innovative FinTech Leader – Mahmood Ahmadu – CEO, Innovate1 Pay
- FIN Most Outstanding Woman in Business Leadership – Bae Mensah Tayui, CEO, Cybele Group
- FIN Exemplary Leadership of the Year – Benonita Bismarck – CEO, Ghana Shippers Authority
- FIN Cashless Africa Personality of the Year – Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, Vice President, Ghana.