PalmPay, a prominent African neobank, leveraged its participation in GITEX 2025 to emphasize the crucial role of trust, simplicity, and strategic local partnerships in expanding financial services across the African continent. Chibuzor Melah, the Vice President of Partnerships, addressed a distinguished panel titled ‘From Idea to Infrastructure—The African Tech Executive & Founders’ Playbook,’ shedding light on the transformative process of converting innovative concepts into scalable systems within Africa’s rapidly evolving digital economy. The discussion centered around the pivotal role of technology and strategic partnerships in driving financial inclusion and empowering communities across the continent.
Melah underscored the persistent obstacles hindering financial inclusion, particularly the widespread dependence on cash transactions and the prevailing low levels of financial literacy. He argued that overcoming these barriers requires a multifaceted approach that goes beyond mere technological advancements. Building trust, ensuring robust security measures, adhering to regulatory compliance, and prioritizing customer protection are paramount for fostering confidence and encouraging adoption of digital financial services. Moreover, simplifying financial tools and making them accessible and user-friendly for all segments of the population, irrespective of their background or financial knowledge, is essential for driving widespread adoption.
PalmPay’s platform, which serves a substantial customer base of 40 million users, exemplifies this commitment to simplicity and user-centric design. The platform’s intuitive interface and ease of navigation aim to empower individuals, even those with limited financial literacy, to effectively utilize its services. This approach aligns with the broader objective of bridging the financial inclusion gap and empowering communities across Africa.
Melah outlined PalmPay’s strategic roadmap for transitioning from initial concept to robust infrastructure, highlighting a three-pronged approach: launching with a flagship product that delivers immediate value, cultivating strong local partnerships to address specific community needs, and maintaining organizational agility through decentralized decision-making to adapt to the diverse market landscape across Africa. This strategic blueprint serves as a guiding framework for navigating the complexities of expanding financial services across the continent.
The emphasis on local partnerships underscores the importance of understanding the unique needs and nuances of each community. By collaborating with local stakeholders, PalmPay aims to tailor its services to specific contexts and ensure relevance and effectiveness. Maintaining agility and decentralized decision-making processes allows the organization to respond swiftly to evolving market dynamics and tailor its services to meet the diverse needs of different regions across Africa.
Melah concluded his address by encouraging African innovators to embrace agility, customize their branding and solutions to align with local conditions, and maintain an unwavering focus on delivering exceptional customer experiences. This customer-centric approach is viewed as crucial for building trust, fostering loyalty, and driving sustainable growth in the dynamic African market. PalmPay’s presence at GITEX 2025 exemplifies its overarching strategy of integrating technology with local insights to promote financial inclusion and empower millions of individuals across Africa. This strategy is underpinned by a commitment to building trust, simplifying financial tools, and forging strategic partnerships to address the unique challenges and opportunities presented by the diverse African market.
