Africa Fintech Forum

What Africa Fintech Forum does

Africa Fintech Forum (AFF) is an international non-profit organization founded in 2017 by Alex Sea and headquartered in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, with the stated mission of promoting and developing digital finance across the African continent. The organization operates a portfolio of programs rather than a single product, anchored by three core offerings: an annual 2-day flagship conference, the pan-African African Fintech Tour roadshow, and a tiered Partner Network (Platinum, Gold, Bronze). Supporting initiatives include the Fintech Industry Mapping project, African Fintech Chair (academic research), Africa Islamic Fintech Hub, Fintech Village (incubation/acceleration hub), Africa Fintech Day (university outreach), and Open Banking Africa. AFF does not build proprietary technology products; its digital footprint consists of a website and social channels used for content distribution and community engagement.

The organization serves five primary customer segments: fintech startups and companies (primary), financial institutions, investors and VCs, government and regulatory bodies, and students/academia. Its go-to-market is event-driven and community-led, leveraging annual forums, the multi-country African Fintech Tour, workshops, and a sponsorship network that includes Ecobank, Visa, Deloitte, Flutterwave, Wave, INWI, and Oikocredit, among more than 20 partners. Since 2017, AFF claims to have connected over 5,000 fintech community actors, visited 20+ countries, supported 8 national fintech associations, and stimulated over $5 million in financial flows through its programs. Revenue is generated from sponsorship and partnership fees, event registration, and membership dues, with no public pricing disclosure.

Name

Africa Fintech Forum

Legal name

Africa Fintech Forum

Website

https://africafintechforum.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industry Events and Fintech Ecosystem Development

NAICS

Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (54169)

akta.pro primary industry

Finance & Investment Conferences (MPAGAGAG)

Keywords

• Fintech ecosystem development
• Pan-African industry events
• Fintech community networking
• Digital finance advocacy
• Startup partnership programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Abidjan

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Marketing or Sales, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Sponsorship and Partnership Fees: Organizations can become sponsors or partners of Africa Fintech Forum, gaining visibility through dedicated stand space at exhibitions, logo placement on communication materials (website, newsletters, advertisements), and advertising pages in official event catalogues. Sponsorship tiers include Platinum, Gold, and Bronze levels.
2. Event Registration Fees: Revenue generated from participants attending annual forums, conferences, workshops, and the African Fintech Tour events. Forums feature sessions with CEOs, investors, and media attendees.
3. Membership Dues: Members receive exclusive event access, privileged access to partner events, dedicated resources, and placement in publications.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Africa Fintech Forum (AFF) is an international non-profit organization that organizes the annual Africa Fintech Forum conference, the pan-African African Fintech Tour, and a portfolio of supporting programs (Fintech Industry Mapping, Africa Islamic Fintech Hub, African Fintech Chair, Fintech Village, Africa Fintech Day, Open Banking Africa). It sells sponsorship and partnership packages to enterprises and charges event registration and membership fees to access its fintech ecosystem community, training, and research initiatives.

Product overview

Africa Fintech Forum (AFF) is a non-profit international organization that serves as a platform for promoting and developing digital finance in Africa. The organization operates as a portfolio of interconnected programs and events rather than a single software product. The core offerings include the annual Africa Fintech Forum conference (a 2-day professional gathering), the African Fintech Tour (a pan-African promotional journey), and the Partner Network (sponsorship and collaboration program). Supporting initiatives include the Fintech Industry Mapping project, Africa Islamic Fintech Hub, African Fintech Chair (academic research initiative), Fintech Village (continental tech hub for incubation), Africa Fintech Day (educational outreach), and Open Banking Africa (industry collaboration initiative). These programs collectively aim to build Africa's fintech ecosystem through networking, education, research, and cross-border collaboration.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Africa Fintech Forum (Annual Event) The flagship annual 2-day conference bringing together fintech professionals from Africa and internationally to network, share knowledge, and promote digital finance development in Africa. Targeted at enterprises, fintech startups, investors, and financial institutions.
• African Fintech Tour A pan-African roadshow that promotes fintech and engages stakeholders across different countries, creating synergies and connecting fintech ecosystems in West, Central, and North Africa. Targeted at ecosystem builders, fintechs, and partner organizations.
• Fintech Industry Mapping A research and mapping project that identifies and profiles fintech ecosystem actors across African countries, with focus on French-speaking markets. Delivered as a published industry study for ecosystem participants.
• Africa Islamic Fintech Hub A development hub and collaborative pool for Islamic fintech industry actors in Africa, facilitating opportunities and partnerships within the Islamic finance and fintech sectors.
• African Fintech Chair A research and training chair that groups African academic researchers to involve universities in the development of the fintech industry through research and educational programs.
• Fintech Village A continental tech hub dedicated to fintechs, serving as a collaborative pool for the incubation and acceleration of innovative and inclusive financial technologies in Africa.
• Africa Fintech Day A promotional and educational day on fintech targeted at university students, business schools, and the wider African population to raise awareness about fintech opportunities.
• Open Banking Africa An initiative to accelerate collaboration between fintech industry actors and promote the development of digital finance through open banking frameworks across Africa.
• Partner Network (Sponsorship Program) A tiered partnership program (Platinum, Gold, Bronze) offering enterprises instant access to exclusive resources, programs, tools, and connections, including stand space at exhibitions, logo placement on communications, and advertising in official event catalogues.

Quantifiable outcome

• 5,000+ fintech community actors connected
• +6 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• EcobankflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Major pan-African banking group that has supported Africa Fintech Forum events since inception. Provides strategic partnership for connecting fintech ecosystem with traditional banking sector across 33 African countries.
• WavecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Leading mobile money operator in Africa supporting AFF initiatives and participating in events as a partner in the fintech ecosystem development.
• FlutterwavecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Prominent African payment technology company partnering with AFF to promote digital finance innovation and cross-border payment solutions across the continent.
• VisaflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Global payments technology company collaborating with AFF to advance digital payments and fintech innovation in the African market.
• DeloittecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Professional services firm providing expertise and support for AFF initiatives, offering consulting and advisory services for fintech ecosystem development.
• INWIcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Moroccan telecommunications operator that partnered with AFF for networking and promotion events, supporting fintech innovation initiatives.
• UniskipminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Fintech company supporting AFF events and initiatives as part of the broader partner ecosystem.
• Advans Côte d'IvoirecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Microfinance institution supporting fintech ecosystem development in Côte d'Ivoire through partnership with AFF and participation in events.
• Gim-UemoacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Regional monetary union institution supporting fintech development initiatives across West African Economic and Monetary Union countries through partnership with AFF.
• Sunu AssuranceminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Insurance company participating in AFF ecosystem to explore insurance technology innovations and partnerships.
• HPS-WorldwideminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Worldwide payment solutions provider engaging with AFF to promote payment innovation in Africa.
• PaydunyaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Senegalese payment gateway company participating in AFF events and ecosystem activities.
• Ezipay.AfricaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017African payment solutions company partnering with AFF for digital finance promotion.
• JulayaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017West African fintech company providing mobile money and payment solutions participating in AFF network.
• Dexterity-AfricaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Technology and consulting firm supporting fintech innovation initiatives in Africa through AFF partnership.
• WizallmoneyminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Digital payments and money transfer company participating in AFF ecosystem.
• Brussels AirlinesminorOthers · 1 January 2017Aviation partner facilitating travel and logistics for AFF's pan-African events and the African Fintech Tour.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Africa Fintech Summit: Pan-African fintech conference series that, like AFF, organizes multi-country fintech events bringing together founders, investors, and regulators across the continent. Both organizations target the same audience of African fintech ecosystem participants and compete for sponsor mindshare.
• Finextra: Fintech news, research, and events platform that serves the global financial technology community with conferences, awards, and content distribution. Comparable as a community-and-event-driven fintech ecosystem player with media and event monetization.
• Money 20/20: Global fintech conference and media brand with regional editions across multiple geographies. Directly comparable as a professionally organized fintech event business serving financial institutions, fintechs, and investors, though at significantly larger global scale than AFF.
• Fintech Nexus (formerly LendIt Fintech): Global fintech event and content platform that organizes major conferences and digital media serving the fintech community. Operates a similar model of event-driven community building and sponsor-supported revenue.

Broad incumbents

• African Development Bank: Continental development finance institution that engages in fintech ecosystem development, financial inclusion advocacy, and convenes African financial stakeholders. Comparable in mission scope (pan-African financial development) and convening role, though operating at vastly larger scale.
• GSMA: Global mobile industry organization that runs Mobile World Congress and similar flagship events serving telecom and adjacent fintech players. Comparable as a large-scale industry association and event organizer, though broader in scope than AFF.

Regional players

• Fintech Association of Nigeria: Largest national fintech industry association in Africa, serving Nigeria's fintech ecosystem with events, policy advocacy, and member services. Directly comparable institutional model to the associations AFF has built in Francophone Africa.
• Fintech Association of Kenya: Industry association representing fintechs in Kenya, providing networking, policy advocacy, and ecosystem development. Functionally comparable as a national fintech association model, the same approach AFF has replicated across 8 African countries.

Emerging players

• Onafriq (formerly MFS Africa): Pan-African payments network connecting mobile wallets and banks across multiple African countries. Operates in the same fintech ecosystem AFF supports and exemplifies the kind of cross-border fintech player that benefits from AFF's convening work.
• Fintech Meetup: Community-led fintech networking organization that runs local meetups and global fintech community events. Similar community-led GTM motion to AFF but operates primarily in Western markets rather than pan-African.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/affintechforum
• Facebookfacebook.com/affintech
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/theafricafintechforum

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Africa Fintech Forum