Global treasury solution and payment infrastructure provider Cede on Friday convened regional fintech and banking leaders in Nairobi to discuss the future of Africa’s payment infrastructure.
The event focused on the persistent challenges facing cross-border transactions and the need for more reliable systems.
The Ecosystem Mixer, held on December 5, 2025, brought together senior executives from the banking, fintech, and investment sectors under the theme Seamless Africa: Building uninterruptible payment rails.
Participants examined how technology, regulation, and collaboration can unlock more efficient and interoperable payment systems across the continent
Among the leaders in attendance were Kemi Olajide, Investment Principal at Africa Climate Ventures, Tochukwu Ekwonna, Chief Financial Officer at Payaza, Bonface Isinta Ombui, Chief Executive Officer of Choice Microfinance Bank, and Joyce Ampaire, Lead for Business Development at Afrexim Bank East Africa.
The discussions reflected the diverse perspectives shaping Africa’s evolving payments ecosystem.
Cede said it selected Kenya as the host country due to its high level of digital adoption and its role as a regional hub for financial and payments innovation.
Speaking on the company’s long-term ambitions, Akin Afolabi, CEO and Co-Founder of Cede, said its infrastructure vision is increasingly taking shape as it deepens integration across markets.
He said, “We started with a vision that looked almost too large to grasp. What we are building is becoming clearer. We now have an infrastructure layer that lets money move across local currencies through connections with banks, switches, and fintech providers.”
The forum also explored the technical foundations required to achieve seamless payments across borders.
Panelists highlighted intelligent transaction routing, AI-driven liquidity management, enhanced interoperability, and faster settlement as critical components.
They noted that building trust and reliability at every user touchpoint is essential to driving wider adoption of digital cross-border payments.
Regulatory coordination emerged as a key concern during the discussions, with stakeholders pointing to fragmented compliance frameworks across African markets as a major obstacle to intra-African trade.
Participants emphasized that closer alignment between regulators, financial institutions, and fintech firms is necessary to reduce friction while safeguarding system integrity.
Moderating the session, Dapo Olatinsu, COO and Co-Founder of Cede, said the discussions reinforced the importance of cooperation across the payments value chain.
He said, “The gaps in cross-border payments are well understood. What is needed is sustained collaboration between technology builders, banks, and regulators. Kenya plays a central role in that conversation.”
Cede also used the Nairobi forum to showcase Voye, its soon-to-launch multi-currency remittance product.
The company said Voye is designed to enable fast and transparent transfers across key corridors, including Kenya, and will operate as part of Cede’s broader infrastructure stack, offering secure digital wallets and cross-border settlements supported by its compliance framework.
According to Cede, insights from the Nairobi Ecosystem Mixer will guide its next phase of engagement as it prepares to roll out Voye and deepen partnerships across East Africa.
The company said the mixer is the first in a series of engagements aimed at strengthening collaboration across the payments ecosystem and supporting the development of resilient regional payment systems.
