Interswitch Champions Alternative Credit and African-Centric Innovation at CeBIH 2025 Conference

Interswitch Champions Alternative Credit and African-Centric Innovation at CeBIH 2025 Conference

Interswitch, one of Africa’s foremost integrated payments and digital commerce companies, played a leading role at the 2025 Committee of e-Business Industry Heads (CeBIH) Annual Conference, driving critical discussions on the future of financial inclusion and consumer credit in Nigeria. The two-day event, held at the Eko Convention Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos, convened top policymakers, financial executives, and technology leaders to examine new pathways for expanding credit access to underserved populations.

As a returning Gold Sponsor, Interswitch underscored its commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s financial infrastructure and promoting inclusive growth through homegrown technological solutions. This year’s conference theme, “Reimagining Financial Inclusion through Cultural Shifts in Consumer Credit,” provided a strategic platform to reassess legacy lending practices and explore innovative, technology-led models for responsible credit delivery.

A standout session on Day One—“Alternative Credit Scoring for the Underserved”—featured Ademola Adeniran, Divisional Head, Product Management and Solution Delivery at Verve International, an Interswitch Group subsidiary. Speaking alongside other industry leaders, Adeniran emphasized the transformative potential of alternative data in unlocking credit for millions excluded by traditional banking systems.

“For us, this conversation goes beyond technology. It is about designing credit systems that truly reflect African realities,” he said. “Millions transact daily outside conventional banking structures, and alternative credit scoring allows us to recognize that activity and responsibly convert it into access to finance. At Verve and Interswitch, we are committed to building the infrastructure that makes this inclusion scalable and sustainable.”

The panel, moderated by Wunmi Ogunbiyi of the CeBIH Advisory Council, also included contributions from Munachimso Duru of Afrigopay, Visa West Africa’s Country Manager Damola Giwa, CREDICORP’s representative Nike Kolawole, and eTranzact’s Corporate Strategy Head, Ifeanyi Chukuwekem—offering a multi-sector view of emerging credit solutions.

On Day Two, Interswitch further reinforced its leadership role through a thought leadership address delivered by Robinta Aluyi, Vice President, Sales and Account Management, Digital Infrastructure & Managed Services (Interswitch Systegra). She highlighted the company’s mission-driven approach to powering Africa’s digital economy.

“Interswitch helps people navigate their daily lives with greater ease. We make transactions flow safely and reliably by connecting banks, enabling secure payments, and strengthening every layer of the digital finance value chain,” she said. Aluyi added that the company’s dominance in the market reflects the deep trust built through years of collaboration with banks and fintech partners.

She reaffirmed that African-led solutions remain central to Interswitch’s innovation philosophy, noting that sustainable financial progress must align with local needs. Built “on the continent, for the continent,” Interswitch continues to deliver solutions for individuals, SMEs, enterprises, and government institutions across the payments ecosystem.

The 2025 CeBIH Conference also explored behavioural change, responsible borrowing, identity verification, and institutional collaboration—issues experts believe are critical to building a stronger, more inclusive credit culture. Attendees agreed that beyond digital access, financial inclusion must be rooted in trust, literacy, aligned incentives, and robust infrastructure.

Interswitch’s active involvement at the conference reaffirmed its strategic ambition to drive financial empowerment, secure commerce, and innovation across Africa’s evolving digital landscape. The company reiterated that ongoing collaboration with industry bodies such as CeBIH is vital to achieving a more inclusive, future-ready financial ecosystem for Nigeria and the continent.