Flutterwave exec urges African firms to build lasting institutions, not just scale
Fidelis Chiwara, Flutterwave's Global Expansions and Payment Partnerships Lead for Southern Africa, spoke at the Africa Tech 50 Market Open panel at the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, urging African technology firms to shift focus from mere scaling to building enduring institutions. He noted that the conversation around African tech has evolved from questioning whether companies can scale to how they can create lasting structures that withstand market shifts.
Chiwara pointed to Flutterwave's presence in over 30 African markets and its role in powering cross‑border commerce, stressing that long‑term growth depends on strong governance, regulatory compliance, reliable partnerships, and the systems needed to operate across multiple jurisdictions. He argued that Africa’s next competitive edge lies in linking markets through shared infrastructure that lets businesses sell, receive payments, and operate regionally without rebuilding their tech stack in every country.
Greater transparency and collaboration among technology firms, financial institutions, and investors will be essential to support the next generation of globally competitive African companies, he added. Looking ahead, Chiwara reaffirmed Flutterwave's ambition to expand beyond payments and continue constructing the financial infrastructure that enables businesses to grow across the continent.
For Nigerian entrepreneurs and investors, the emphasis on cross‑border payment systems and institutional resilience signals both opportunity and a need to watch for evolving regulatory frameworks that could affect how fintechs operate nationally and regionally.