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African neobank, PalmPay, has emphasised the importance of trust, simplicity, and local partnerships in expanding access to financial services across the continent. The company made this known during the GITEX 2025 technology conference, which held at the Landmark Centre in Lagos on September 4.
Speaking during a high-level panel session titled “From Idea to Infrastructure—The African Tech Executive & Founders’ Playbook”, PalmPay’s Vice President of Partnerships, Mr. Chibuzor Melah, said financial inclusion in Africa could only be achieved by building solutions that earn the trust of customers while remaining simple to use. The session brought together leading innovators and executives to discuss how bold ideas can be transformed into scalable systems within Africa’s fast-growing digital economy.
Melah noted that while Africa’s fintech sector is rapidly expanding, several obstacles continue to hinder financial inclusion. Among these are a heavy reliance on cash transactions and low levels of financial literacy, especially in rural areas. He explained that solving these problems would require more than advanced technology alone.
“Our greatest responsibility is to earn trust. Security and compliance must come first, because customers deserve to feel protected. But beyond that, we must make financial tools simple, accessible, and truly usable for every Nigerian, no matter their background,” Melah stated.
He stressed that simplicity is a critical factor in adoption. In markets where financial literacy remains low, complex digital tools discourage usage and slow down the pace of inclusion. PalmPay, which currently serves 40 million customers across Nigeria and other African markets, has therefore prioritised making its platform intuitive and easy to navigate, regardless of a user’s educational background.
Outlining the company’s growth strategy, Melah explained PalmPay’s approach to moving from concept to infrastructure. He said the first step is to launch with a hero product that delivers immediate and clear value to customers. From there, the company builds strong local partnerships that meet community needs and relies on decentralised decision-making, which allows its teams to adapt quickly to Africa’s diverse markets.
“Building financial infrastructure in Africa is not a one-size-fits-all process. Every market is unique, and success depends on how well you can adapt to local realities while keeping the customer at the centre of everything,” Melah said.
He urged other African innovators to remain agile, ensure their solutions are tailored to local conditions, and never lose sight of the customer experience. According to him, Africa’s digital economy is filled with opportunities, but companies that ignore trust and simplicity risk losing the confidence of the very people they hope to serve.
PalmPay’s participation at GITEX 2025 reflects its wider strategy of combining cutting-edge technology with deep local insight. The company believes this approach will foster financial inclusion and empower millions of Africans by giving them reliable, secure, and user-friendly digital tools.
Industry observers note that PalmPay’s focus on trust and simplicity is significant at a time when fintech adoption in Nigeria and across Africa is rising. With more people turning to mobile wallets, digital payments, and online banking, questions around security, transparency, and usability have become central to the debate about the future of financial services.
By emphasising compliance and strong community partnerships, PalmPay hopes to position itself not just as a fintech provider, but as a trusted enabler of Africa’s financial transformation.
