Cede hosts forum on building seamless payment infrastructure in Africa

Subomi Olajide, Executive Director at Cede, Bonface Isinta Ombui, CEO of Choice Microfinance Bank, Akin Afolabi, CEO and Co-Founder of Cede, Dapo Olatinsu, COO and Co-Founder of Cede [Courtesy]

Global treasury solutions and payment infrastructure provider Cede on Friday hosted its Ecosystem Mixer in Nairobi, bringing together sector leaders to examine the challenges affecting cross-border payments in Africa and the steps required to build more reliable and interoperable systems.

Held under the theme “Seamless Africa: Building Uninterruptible Payment Rails,” the session convened senior executives including Kemi Olajide, Investment Principal at Africa Climate Ventures; Tochukwu Ekwonna, CFO at Payaza; Bonface Isinta Ombui, CEO of Choice Microfinance Bank; and Joyce Ampaire, Lead for Business Development at AFREXIM Bank East Africa.

Cede said Kenya was selected for the engagement due to its strong digital adoption and its position as a regional hub for financial and payments innovation. Commenting on the firm’s broader infrastructure ambitions, Akin Afolabi, CEO and Co-Founder of Cede, said the long-term vision is steadily taking shape. He noted that the company is building a connected network that supports the smooth movement of funds across markets.

In his words, “We started with a vision that looked almost too large to grasp. What we are building is becoming clearer. We now have an infrastructure layer that lets money move across local currencies through connections with banks, switches, and fintech providers.”

The forum also reviewed the technological requirements for achieving seamless payments, highlighting the need for intelligent routing, AI-driven liquidity management, improved interoperability, and faster settlement processes. Panellists noted that strengthening trust and reliability across user touchpoints will be vital to increasing adoption.

Regulatory coordination featured prominently in the discussion, with stakeholders pointing to differing compliance regimes across countries as a barrier to intra-African trade. Greater alignment between regulators, banks, and fintechs was cited as essential for reducing friction while maintaining system safety.

Moderating the session, Dapo Olatinsu, COO and Co-Founder of Cede, said the conversations underscored the need for stronger cooperation across the ecosystem. He said, “The gaps in cross-border payments are well understood. What is needed is sustained collaboration between technology builders, banks, and regulators. Kenya plays a central role in that conversation.”

Cede used the forum to showcase Voye, its soon-to-launch multi-currency remittance product designed to support fast and transparent transfers across key corridors, including Kenya. The company said Voye will operate as part of its wider infrastructure stack, offering consumers and businesses access to secure digital wallets and cross-border settlements backed by Cede’s compliance framework.

According to Cede, insights from the Nairobi mixer will inform its next phase of market engagement as it prepares Voye for rollout and deepens collaboration with partners across East Africa.

The firm said the Ecosystem Mixer is the first in a series of engagements aimed at strengthening collaboration across the payments value chain and supporting the development of resilient regional payment systems.

“Cede builds financial infrastructure that supports secure, compliant, and efficient cross-border transactions for individuals, businesses, and institutions across key African and global corridors. Voye, its upcoming retail product, extends this infrastructure to users seeking simple and transparent international transfers,” the CEO said.