African technology players have been advised to champion locally relevant innovations tailored to the continent’s realities and nuances.
This call was made by the Country General Manager of Interswitch Group in Kenya, Mr Bernard Kinara, at the 2025 Africa Soft Power (ASP) Summit in Nairobi.
He also urged Africa to work towards greater economic self-determination and stronger artificial intelligence governance to reduce dependence on foreign capital and prevent unregulated technology deployment.
Speaking on a pivotal panel discussion themed Inclusive Leadership and Disruptions: Shaping Growth and Navigating Global Shifts, he highlighted Interswitch’s impact – being the continent’s first fintech/payments unicorn – in strengthening cross-ecosystem linkages and partnerships by bringing together fintechs, banks and other financial service delivery enablers; in advancing borderless payments and cross-country value-exchange; and in driving required affirmative action on the social development front through the creation of opportunities for women and youth through corporate responsibility and sustainability initiatives; such as #InterswitchSPAK, in line with the organization’s corporate purpose – inspiring Africa to greatness through innovation, value-creation and excellence.
Another speaker, Mr Philip Ikeazor, who is the Director General of Financial System Stability at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), emphasized that anti-money laundering and fraud detection standards are becoming mandatory, with AI supporting but policy leading these efforts.
As regards this, challenges remain around weak data protection and low digital literacy, which policy must address.
The AI governance panel emphasized AI literacy for policymakers and the public, advocating tailored education approaches to ensure that AI tools solve practical problems for farmers, creatives, and civil servants. A technologist noted the paradox of rising public AI awareness alongside skepticism, reinforcing the need for transparent, trustworthy AI systems.
The two-day event in its fourth edition commenced on May 22 and brought together thought leaders, policymakers, investors, and innovators from Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania, and other African nations to address leadership, investment, and technological development challenges.
They also discussed topical themes such as AI Models, Sovereignty, and Democratizing Access, and highlighted the necessity of policy autonomy in the global digital landscape, citing successful regulatory actions by governments in Uganda and Nigeria against multinational tech platforms.