Transparency, strong regulation and disciplined structure will determine which African fintechs earn global credibility, Tobi Olusoga, chief operating officer of i-invest, said at the 2026 Lagos TechFest, arguing that sustainable success begins with trust built at home.
Speaking during a panel session themed “Starting at Home: Making African Fintech Truly Global,” Olusoga joined industry leaders including Uzoma Dozie, of Sparkle, Tayo Oviosu, of Paga and of Wale Oyewo, TetradPay to examine what it takes for African financial platforms to scale sustainably beyond the continent.
Olusoga underscored that, for i-invest, trust remains non-negotiable regardless of geography. “Whether they’re in the diaspora or on the continent, the fundamentals are the same: trust is everything,” she said, noting that credibility is the currency that ultimately sustains fintech growth.
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She explained that regulation is embedded at the core of the company’s operating model rather than treated as a compliance afterthought. “Regulation is our bedrock. It is not a box we tick on the side; it is foundational to building the confidence users need to trust our system,” Olusoga stated.
According to her, this regulatory-first approach shapes the platform’s operations within Nigeria and as it engages users across borders. By prioritising transparency, robust identity verification and strict consumer protection standards, the firm seeks to ensure that investors, whether local or abroad, are afforded the same level of security and clarity. The objective, she stressed, is to give every investor absolute confidence that their funds are protected within a structured and accountable ecosystem.
Addressing the proliferation of Ponzi schemes and get-rich-quick offerings targeting retail investors, Olusoga said such trends often thrive on impatience and inadequate financial education. She contrasted that culture with what she described as the only sustainable path to wealth creation. “Sustainable wealth takes time. It requires deliberate building, not shortcuts,” she said, warning that platforms promising unrealistic returns ultimately erode public trust in the broader financial system.
The same philosophy, she added, applies to corporate growth strategies. “If you have not taken the time to build a strong foundation in your home market, expanding abroad becomes unstable,” Olusoga said. Establishing credibility locally through disciplined execution, transparent governance and strict compliance standards, she argued, positions fintech firms to earn the confidence of global partners and investors.
“True scale comes from disciplined local execution before global ambition,” she concluded, reiterating that African fintechs aspiring to become global players must anchor their expansion in strong domestic structures.
i-invest is Nigeria’s integrated investment platform, providing users with access to a broad spectrum of financial and capital market products. Powered by Parthian Partners, a Securities and Exchange Commission-regulated Capital Market Operator, the platform says it remains committed to delivering a secure, transparent and user-friendly experience that supports long-term, sustainable wealth creation.
