Interswitch, a leading integrated payments and digital commerce company in Africa, hosted its TechConnect 6.0 event in Ibadan, bringing together government, financial services, technology, and business stakeholders to discuss scalable digital infrastructure. The event built on previous editions in Imo State and Abuja, emphasizing the role of shared infrastructure in driving business growth and translating financial inclusion into economic impact for underserved communities.
Event Overview and Keynote Address
The Ibadan edition, themed “Built for What’s Next: Designing Adaptive Financial Infrastructure for a Dynamic Market,” focused on how adaptive infrastructure, innovation, and cross-sector collaboration can support sustainable growth. In her keynote address, Temi Kolawole, managing director of Ilorin Innovation Hub, stressed the need for solutions and infrastructure that support innovation, business expansion, and economic development.
“What’s next requires more than adopting new technologies; it requires connected infrastructure that can evolve alongside changing business needs and customer expectations,” Kolawole said. She emphasized the importance of an enabling ecosystem where technology, collaboration, and scalable infrastructure help businesses handle market complexities and respond to emerging opportunities.
Panel Discussions and Fireside Chat
The event featured a panel discussion titled “Building for Scale: Shared Solutions and Infrastructure for Business Growth,” which examined how shared infrastructure and collaborative approaches can help businesses expand efficiently. Participants explored how connected systems, technology adoption, and cross-industry partnerships can overcome operational barriers and improve efficiency.
A fireside chat, “From Financial Inclusion to Economic Impact: Reaching the Underserved at Scale,” looked into the relationship between financial services access and economic participation. The conversation highlighted the need to extend digital financial services to underserved individuals and communities while ensuring solutions are accessible, reliable, and relevant.
Showcase and Future Outlook
Ibadan featured a showcase of Interswitch solutions, demonstrating how payments infrastructure can support organizations in responding to evolving customer expectations. The event provided a platform for stakeholders across public and private sectors to exchange perspectives and explore emerging opportunities in strengthening Africa’s digital economy infrastructure.
“As we look to scale digital services and expand economic participation, collaboration and shared solutions will be critical to creating systems that are secure, resilient, and inclusive,” said Tyoyila Aga, Interswitch’s vice president of Business Innovation and Growth. TechConnect 6.0 aims to bring stakeholders together to explore practical ways to convert innovation into sustainable business growth and ensure digital transformation benefits reach more people and communities.
