Fintech Circle, the leading global community of FinTech entrepreneurs, angel and VC investors, financial services professionals and FinTech thought-leaders and its Fintech Circle Institute, will launch its comprehensive range of Fintech Education Courses for African countries, in collaboration with the African Fintech Network, the newly inaugurated African Fintech Membership Association.
At the African Fintech Festival - which took place in Lagos in December 2018 - a partnership agreement was signed between the African Fintech Network represented by its president Dr. Segun Aina and Susanne Chishti, CEO FINTECH Circle. The aim of this agreement is to foster education and capacity building for fintech across Africa. Witnessing the signing ceremony were Laure Beaufils, UK Deputy High Commissioner to Nigeria, global fintech delegates and representatives of member countries of the African Fintech Network.
The Department for International Development who convened the first UK – African Investment Group in December 2018 was instrumental in highlighting the importance of a close partnership between the UK and Africa across education, business development and fintech investments leveraging experience gained from London, as global fintech hub.
FINTECH Circle’s repertoire of FinTech innovation courses will be provided via the African Fintech Network to its African member countries. This new commitment by FINTECH Circle augments FINTECH Circle Institute’s mission to upskill finance services professionals by providing courses across all areas of financial technology innovation, such as FinTech MasterClasses, InsurTech, WealthTech, RegTech, digital transformation & enterprise innovation, entrepreneurship, blockchain and Crypto Finance.
FINTECH Circle and the African Fintech Network will work closely together to deliver best-in-class FinTech educational courses in addition to exploring new initiatives which strengthen the capabilities, proficiency and experience of finance professionals across Africa.
The African Fintech Network consists of the following founding member states so far – Nigeria, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya and Uganda.
Susanne Chishti, CEO of FINTECH Circle and the FINTECH Circle Institute, commented:
“FINTECH Circle knows the power of knowledge to drive digital transformation in finance. Africa is a country full of fintech opportunity moving to become a mobile-first continent. We are looking forward to roll out in person FINTECH MasterClasses for Finance Boards/C-level Executives complemented by our online fintech courses to support pan-African talent development.”
Dr Segun Aina, Chairman of the African Fintech Network and the Chairman of Global Council of the Global Banking Education Standards Board said: “We are pleased to further our relationship with FINTECH Circle and warmly welcome them to Africa. We look forward to working closely with the FINTECH Circle Institute and key African financial institutions to bolster a dynamic and robust financial ecosystem and address the evolving needs of the industry.”
Laure Beaufils, Deputy High Commissioner at the British Deputy High Commission Lagos added, “I was very happy to witness the signing of this new partnership – a concrete example of UK Africa fintech ties blossoming in the week that we held the first meeting of the UK-Africa Fintech group. What’s exciting about this initiative is that its success should lead to a whole new set of relationships and engagements – and ultimately investments - in this sector.”
Ian Manzie, Senior International Trade Adviser, London International Trade Team, Department for International Trade concluded that “The UK is a global leader in the FinTech sector, and this agreement is a great example of how UK organisations such as Fintech Circle are acting as knowledge leaders, promoting the technologies which are aiming to make financial services more accessible to the general public all over the world.”