Inclusive FinTech Forum (IFF 2026) – Daily Media Update

Day 1

Global FinTech Leaders Converge in Kigali as Inclusive FinTech Forum 2026 Opens with Bold Vision for Africa’s Digital Finance Future

The Inclusive FinTech Forum (IFF) 2026 officially kicked off on 10 March 2026 at the Kigali
Convention Centre in Kigali, Rwanda, bringing together more than 3,500 decision-makers from
87 countries for high-level discussions focused on building inclusive, resilient, and sustainable
financial systems across Africa and other emerging markets.

Hosted by the Kigali International Financial Centre (KIFC), the National Bank of Rwanda (BNR),
and the Global Finance & Technology Network (GFTN), the forum has emerged as a global
platform where policymakers, regulators, fintech innovators, investors, and development
partners collaborate to accelerate financial inclusion and digital transformation.

This year’s gathering reflects the scale and growing influence of the platform. Participants
include 217 government institutions and multilateral organisations, 30 central banks, 413
fintech companies, and 97 investment firms, engaging across eight thematic platforms. The
programme features over 260 speakers, with 36% female representation, highlighting
increasing diversity and leadership within the global fintech ecosystem.

Notable Key highlights

A keynote address by Joseph Nsengimana, Minister of Education of Rwanda, underscored the
strategic importance of talent development in building Africa’s digital economy. He framed
human capital as the foundation for innovation, financial inclusion, and regional integration.

“Fintech thrives when startups, industry leaders, investors, policymakers and academia
collaborate,” he noted, highlighting the importance of education and skills development in
supporting Africa’s rapidly growing digital finance ecosystem."

Big Announcements

1. One of the key highlights of the Inclusive FinTech Forum (IFF) 2026 was the launch of the
Open API platform by Bank of Kigali during a dedicated session titled “Opening the Bank:
Bank of Kigali’s Journey to Building an Open Finance Ecosystem.”
The session showcased how the bank is advancing digital transformation by enabling fintech
companies and ecosystem partners to integrate directly with its banking infrastructure
through open banking technology. By opening its systems through APIs, Bank of Kigali is
creating opportunities for innovators to build new financial products and services that extend
beyond traditional banking, helping to accelerate the growth of Rwanda’s digital financial
ecosystem.
Bank leadership and ecosystem partners shared insights into the strategic vision behind the
platform and how open finance can support greater collaboration between banks, fintech
startups, and technology providers. A live use case was also presented through FIXA, the first
client to integrate with the BK Open API platform, demonstrating how fintech partners can
leverage the infrastructure to deliver seamless payment solutions.

1. One of the key highlights of the Inclusive FinTech Forum (IFF) 2026 was the launch of the
Open API platform by Bank of Kigali during a dedicated session titled “Opening the Bank:
Bank of Kigali’s Journey to Building an Open Finance Ecosystem.”
The session showcased how the bank is advancing digital transformation by enabling fintech
companies and ecosystem partners to integrate directly with its banking infrastructure
through open banking technology. By opening its systems through APIs, Bank of Kigali is
creating opportunities for innovators to build new financial products and services that extend
beyond traditional banking, helping to accelerate the growth of Rwanda’s digital financial
ecosystem.
Bank leadership and ecosystem partners shared insights into the strategic vision behind the
platform and how open finance can support greater collaboration between banks, fintech
startups, and technology providers. A live use case was also presented through FIXA, the first
client to integrate with the BK Open API platform, demonstrating how fintech partners can
leverage the infrastructure to deliver seamless payment solutions.

The initiative highlights Bank of Kigali’s role in supporting fintech innovation and
strengthening Rwanda’s open finance ecosystem by providing the infrastructure needed for
collaboration, innovation, and scalable digital financial services.

2. Another key milestone was the launch of the Level Up Series by the African Business
Angel Network (ABAN). The initiative introduces a new continental platform designed to
connect angel investors, policymakers, and startup ecosystems to translate policy dialogue
into capital for African innovation and strengthen early-stage financing across the continent.

3. The first day also featured a high-level breakfast session titled “The Future of Finance: AI,
Digital Assets and Sovereign Payment Rails.” The session included insights from James
Mwangi, Managing Director and CEO of Equity Group Holdings Plc, and Hannington Namara,
Managing Director of Equity Bank Rwanda, who explored how emerging technologies and
digital infrastructures are shaping the next phase of financial innovation across Africa.

4. A side event held at Kigali Golf Resorts and Villas, Rwanda. The Family Office Symposium
is an inaugural high-level gathering convened by Raffles Family Office in partnership with
the Kigali International Financial Centre (KIFC). The event brought together global family
office leaders, African investors, policymakers, and financial institutions to explore the
evolving landscape of modern wealth management.
Held under the theme “Future. Now.”, the symposium aims to foster dialogue and knowledge
exchange on building resilient family office structures that can support long-term wealth
creation and intergenerational prosperity.
As wealth creation accelerates across Africa, family offices are emerging as critical vehicles for
managing capital, preserving legacy, and driving strategic investments. The symposium
provided a platform for African investors and policymakers to engage with global expertise,
particularly from Asia, on best practices for structuring family offices that support both
wealth preservation and economic growth.

Financial centres can play a bridging role in this process. By convening regulators, investors, and industry leaders, they can help foster regulatory dialogue, promote common standards, and create trusted jurisdictions where African and international capital can converge.

The opportunity extends far beyond payments or banking. Digital financial services are increasingly the backbone of entrepreneurship, trade, and economic participation. When a small business can receive digital payments instantly, access credit through alternative data, or transact seamlessly across borders, the benefits ripple throughout entire economies.
This transformation is particularly important for Africa’s young and rapidly growing population. By 2050, the continent will be home to nearly one quarter of the world’s population, making financial inclusion and digital access critical foundations for sustainable economic growth.
Africa already possesses many of the ingredients needed for fintech success: a dynamic entrepreneurial ecosystem, increasing investor interest, and policymakers willing to experiment with new regulatory approaches.

What remains is the task of connecting these elements more effectively.
Africa’s fintech story is no longer about catching up with global markets. It is about building new models of digital finance that reflect the continent’s realities and ambitions.

If Africa can reduce regulatory fragmentation, strengthen investor confidence, and build financial centres that enable cross-border innovation and capital flows, the impact could be transformative: not only for fintech companies and investors, but for the hundreds of millions of Africans who remain outside the formal financial system.

The continent’s fintech opportunity is already clear. The next step is ensuring that the financial architecture exists to help it scale.

MEDIA INQUIRIES CONTACTS
Dumisani Ngwaila
Senior Communications Consultant, Africa Communications Media Group
dumisanin@africacommunicationsgroup.com
+27 79 853 0678
or
Joie-Grâce Ruzibiza
Communications Manager, Kigali International Financial Centre
joie.ruzibiza@rfl.rw

About the Inclusive FinTech Forum                                                                                                                       The Forum is a unique collaboration between Kigali International Financial Centre (KIFC), Rwanda’s financial centre facilitating international investment and cross-border transactions in Africa, the National Bank of Rwanda; Rwanda's Central Bank, and Global Finance & Technology Network, a company set up by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) to advance fintech in the digital economy.