Prominent African political and business leaders gathered in Lagos on Tuesday as fintech firm Flutterwave marked its 10th anniversary with a gala night event.

The ceremony, held at The Delborough Lagos, drew former presidents, serving public officials and private sector executives from across the continent.

Among those in attendance were former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, former Sierra Leonean President Ernest Bai Koroma, and Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

Business leaders present included Coscharis Group founder Cosmas Maduka, MTN Nigeria Board Chairman Ernest Ndukwe, and entrepreneur Stanley Uzochukwu, whose company owns The Delborough Lagos.

Also in attendance were entertainment figures such as Tiwa Savage and actress Omotola Jalade Ekeinde, alongside other guests from business and media circles.

Flutterwave’s founder and Chief Executive Officer, Olugbenga Agboola, described the anniversary as a milestone for both the company and the wider African payments ecosystem.

In his address, Agboola reflected on the early challenges of cross-border payments within Africa. He said delays and inefficiencies in moving money across African countries motivated the company’s establishment in 2016.

According to him, at the time, cross-border electronic transfers between African countries were often routed through financial systems outside the continent, causing delays and increasing transaction costs.

He said Flutterwave was created to simplify digital payment infrastructure and reduce friction for businesses operating across African markets.

In separate goodwill messages, Obasanjo, Koroma and Sanwo-Olu commended the company’s growth over the past decade and highlighted the role of technology in expanding financial inclusion and supporting enterprise development.

Founded in 2016, Flutterwave provides payment infrastructure services for businesses across Africa and beyond. Over the past decade, it has positioned itself as one of the continent’s leading fintech firms, supporting merchants, financial institutions and digital platforms with payment processing solutions.

The anniversary event served both as a celebration of corporate milestones and as a reflection on the broader evolution of Africa’s digital payments landscape.