Interswitch, stakeholders seek expanded financial inclusion

Government, financial services and technology stakeholders have examined ways to expand financial inclusion and improve access to digital financial services for underserved communities in Nigeria.

The discussion took place on Thursday in Ibadan, Oyo State, at TechConnect 6.0, an industry engagement organised by digital payments company, Interswitch to discuss the development of financial infrastructure and the growth of Nigeria’s digital economy.

The event, themed “Built for What’s Next: Designing Adaptive Financial Infrastructure for a Dynamic Market,” brought together participants from the public and private sectors to examine how technology, shared infrastructure and collaboration could support businesses and widen economic participation.

Delivering the keynote address, the Managing Director of Ilorin Innovation Hub, Temi Kolawole, highlighted “The need for infrastructure and solutions that support innovation, business expansion and sustainable economic development.”

Kolawole’s address focused on the role of technology and collaboration in helping businesses respond to changing market conditions and take advantage of emerging opportunities.

Also speaking, the Vice President, Business Innovation and Growth at Interswitch, Tyoyila Aga, said, “Businesses need more than new technologies to respond effectively to changing customer expectations and market demands.

“Building for what’s next requires more than adopting new technologies; it requires connected infrastructure that can evolve alongside changing business needs and customer expectations. Collaboration and shared solutions are important to developing secure, resilient and inclusive systems capable of expanding access to digital services.”

A fireside chat titled, “From Financial Inclusion to Economic Impact: Reaching the Underserved at Scale,” also examined how access to financial services could translate into meaningful economic opportunities for underserved individuals and communities.

Across the sessions, speakers and participants explored the value of adaptive, secure and interoperable financial infrastructure in enabling business growth and expanding access to digital services.

Discussions at the event centred on the need to move beyond expanding access to financial services and ensure that such access creates tangible benefits for individuals, businesses and communities.

The conversations also underscored the role of sustained collaboration in translating technological innovation into practical solutions that address real business and societal needs.

The Ibadan gathering was part of Interswitch’s nationwide TechConnect 6.0 series, which had earlier held engagements in Imo State and Abuja.

The Ibadan edition further advanced these conversations, with a focus on building scalable solutions, enabling business growth and ensuring that the benefits of digital financial services extend to underserved communities.

As the TechConnect 6.0 series progresses towards its Lagos grand finale, the conversations in Ibadan reinforce the importance of collaboration, innovation and adaptive infrastructure in building a resilient and inclusive digital economy.

TechConnect Ibadan featured a showcase of Interswitch solutions and capabilities, demonstrating how technology and payments infrastructure can support organisations as they respond to evolving customer expectations and navigate the changing digital economy.

”The event featured a panel discussion, themed “Building for Scale: Shared Solutions and Infrastructure for Business Growth,” that examined the role of shared infrastructure and collaborative approaches in helping businesses expand efficiently.

Discussions explored how connected systems, technology adoption and partnerships across industries can help organisations overcome operational barriers, improve efficiency and build solutions that can scale with evolving business needs.

The session also considered the importance of collaboration among technology providers, financial institutions, businesses and other ecosystem stakeholders in developing infrastructure that supports growth and creates opportunities for wider economic participation.