By: Nana
Appiah Acquaye
Regulators, policymakers and
industry leaders from across Africa have called for stronger collaboration to
build trusted, inclusive and sustainable digital financial ecosystems as the
continent’s fintech sector continues to expand.
The discussions took place
during the Regulatory and Policy Day of the MTN Group Fintech Summit 2026,
which focused on the future of digital financial services, data governance,
artificial intelligence, financial inclusion and regulatory innovation.
Zambia featured prominently
in the discussions, with Bank of Zambia Chief Operations Officer Isaac Muhanga
and Zambia Data Protection Commissioner Likando Luywa participating in key
panel sessions.
Muhanga joined a panel
titled “Beyond Payments Revenue: Building Sustainable Digital Credit
Ecosystems,” where discussions examined how digital credit can support
financial inclusion while maintaining sustainability and consumer trust.
Luywa participated in the
Executive Regulatory Dialogue on “Trusted Data Governance: AI and Cross-Border
Information Flows,” contributing perspectives on privacy, digital trust,
responsible artificial intelligence and the governance frameworks required for
Africa’s rapidly evolving digital economy.
The discussions highlighted
the need for regulatory approaches that can support innovation while protecting
consumers and strengthening confidence in digital financial services.
Participants emphasised that
the continued development of fintech across Africa will require regulators,
policymakers and industry players to work together to address emerging
challenges and establish effective frameworks for new digital financial products
and services.
The conversations also
reinforced the MTN Group Fintech Summit theme, “Maximum Velocity As One,” which
places collaboration at the centre of efforts to accelerate digital financial
transformation.
The summit highlighted the
view that effective regulation should not be treated as a barrier to innovation
but as a foundation for building digital financial ecosystems that are trusted,
resilient and inclusive.
