Africa’s burgeoning fintech scene has earned global recognition. Notably, Moniepoint and Flutterwave—two Nigerian-born financial technology giants—have been named in TIME’s 2025 TIME100 Most Influential Companies list, a prestigious acknowledgment of firms reshaping industries with innovation, scale, and ambition
Moniepoint: Leading Financial Inclusion for SMEs
Ranked as a “Leader” by TIME, Moniepoint was founded in 2015 by Tosin Eniolorunda and Felix Ike. The Lagos-based startup empowers over 10 million informal businesses by enabling digital payments, credit access, insurance services, and expense management. It now processes more than 1 billion transactions monthly with a valuation reaching unicorn status following its $110 million Series C funding
CEO Tosin Eniolorunda shared his excitement on social media:
“When Felix and I started Moniepoint Group, I couldn’t have imagined just how far we’d come… to see Moniepoint named one of the TIME100 Most Influential Companies of 2025 is … a reminder that impact matters and real change gets noticed.”
He also told TIME:
“For us, ‘financial inclusion’ isn’t just a buzzword—it’s the difference between survival and growth.”
On Business Post Nigeria, Eniolorunda added:
“This recognition by TIME is a powerful validation of the work we do every day to create financial happiness for millions of people and businesses in Africa.”
Flutterwave: Scaling Commerce Across Borders
Described as a “Titan” by TIME, Flutterwave was founded in 2016 by GB Agboola and partners. The company has soared to a $3 billion valuation, facilitating over $31 billion in payments across almost 36 countries by 2024 . Its expansion includes the “Send” remittance app, now available in nearly all U.S. states.
Flutterwave’s global, enterprise-level API infrastructure enables African businesses of all sizes to transact internationally, challenging legacy systems with speed and reliability.
Why TIME Selected Them
TIME’s TIME100 Most Influential Companies list recognizes businesses “shaping the future through impact, innovation, scale, and ambition”. Moniepoint and Flutterwave exemplify this criteria:
- Financial inclusion & economic empowerment: They are democratizing access to digital finance across underserved populations.
- Transaction scale and reliability: Their platforms handle billions monthly, serving millions.
- Trailblazing leadership: Both are led by visionary founders scaling African solutions to global relevance.
Broader Impact on African Fintech
This milestone showcases how African tech firms are redefining global finance. Their innovations are not serving niche markets—they’re challenging international incumbents and providing scalable infrastructure used across developed economies.
Moniepoint and Flutterwave now stand alongside Silicon Valley pioneers, confirming that Africa can be a cradle for world-class tech infrastructure companies.
Leadership in Their Own Words
- Tosin Eniolorunda (Moniepoint):
“Financial inclusion isn’t just a buzzword—it’s the difference between survival and growth.” moniepoint.com+10time.com+10au.finance.yahoo.com+10businesspost.ng “Real change gets noticed,” he reflected on LinkedIn, celebrating the influence of taking grassroots financial challenges global . - GB Agboola (Flutterwave):
Although TIME did not publish a direct quote from him, Flutterwave’s “Titan” designation highlights the leadership strength he has demonstrated in building a global fintech juggernaut .
What This Means for Africa’s Tech Ecosystem
- Validation of African innovation: Their inclusion sends a strong signal to investors: African fintech is capable of global scale and influence.
- Catalyst for next-gen founders: Solo founders and early-stage startups now have tangible proof of opportunity—homegrown solutions can go global.
- Institutional momentum: Their success may spur more local talent and capital into areas like open banking, SME finance, and cross-border payments.
Conclusion
Moniepoint and Flutterwave’s recognition among the TIME100 Most Influential Companies for 2025 transcends personal achievement—it marks Africa’s fintech solutions as global standards. Whether sprouting informal merchant empowerment or powering international commerce, their technologies are rewriting how global finance works—and Africa is writing its own success story.
