Ecobank, a prominent independent banking group in Africa, operates across 35 nations and caters to over 32 million customers in various sectors, including consumer, commercial, and corporate banking. The bank is renowned for its annual Fintech Challenge, which is now in its seventh iteration.
This competition is designed to identify and collaborate with early-stage and mature fintech startups that align with Ecobank’s strategic goals. The challenge presents a lucrative opportunity for fintech startups to win a grand prize of US$50,000 and to potentially partner with Ecobank to expand their solutions across the bank’s extensive network in 33 African countries.
The selection process for this year’s Fintech Challenge has reached an exciting phase, with twelve startups emerging as finalists. These finalists were chosen after a competitive semi-final round that adopted a hybrid format. Out of the 1,550 applications received from 70 countries across Africa and beyond, 40 fintech startups were shortlisted to participate in the semi-finals.
Among the twelve finalists, Kenya is represented by BuuPass and Melanin Kapital Neobank, while Nigeria boasts two contenders: Sawport Video Banking as a Virtual Branch and Sproutly. The other finalists include Daba Finance from Ivory Coast, EasyEquities from South Africa, Exuus from Rwanda, MiaPay from Togo, PaySika from Cameroon, PROBOUTIK from Senegal, Vaultpay from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and YMO Africa from Guinea.
These finalists are gearing up to present their innovative fintech solutions at the Ecobank Fintech Challenge Grand Finale. This event is set to take place on September 27 at the Ecobank Pan African Centre in Lomé, Togo. In addition to the on-site audience, the grand finale will be broadcast live on Ecobank Group’s social media platforms, allowing viewers from around the world to tune in.
During this much-anticipated event, the finalists will compete for the grand prize of US$50,000 and the chance to elevate their fintech solutions to a pan-African scale through a partnership with Ecobank.
