For Nigeria and other African countries to unlock the region’s $400 billion financial technology potential, regulators need to work together.

This was one of the positions at the ongoing third Inclusive FinTech Forum (IFF) 2026 at the Kigali Convention Centre, Kigali, Rwanda, where it was stressed that the continent’s digital revolution will live or die on the strength of its regulatory bridges.

The $400 billion figure is the projected valuation of the global fintech market in 2026 (estimated at approximately $460 billion). But in the African context, it serves as a high-water mark for the continent’s Total Addressable Market (TAM) for financial services.

Addressing over 3,500 global delegates, Governor of the National Bank of Rwanda, Soraya Munyana Hakuziyaremye, stressed the importance of cross-border alignment. She argued that while the technology for a financial boom exists, the “fragmented” regulatory landscape remains the final frontier to conquer.

“If we are to fully harness virtual assets, strengthen interoperable cross-border payment infrastructures and leverage AI to offer tailored, affordable, secure and fast financial services, stronger regulatory alignment across African markets will be essential,” Hakuziyaremye stated.

In his keynote address, Prime Minister of Rwanda, Justin Nsengiyumva, emphasised that Africa stands at a pivotal moment in the global economic transition.

He highlighted that the continent has a unique opportunity to become a cradle of global business and innovation, driven by technology and strengthened by inclusive financial systems capable of mobilising capital for Africa’s development priorities.

“This Forum comes at a defining moment for Africa and indeed the world. The financial and economic order many of us have known in our lifetimes is undergoing profound, undeniable change. For Africa, which has long stood at the margins of this system while relying on it for development financing and access to global markets, this moment presents both uncertainty and opportunity,” said the Prime Minister.

He further emphasised that the foundation of Africa’s economic transformation will depend on robust and inclusive financial systems capable of mobilising capital towards the continent’s most pressing priorities, including energy development, digital infrastructure, manufacturing growth, and investments in human capital.

Held under the theme “Shaping the Future of Inclusive Finance: Innovation. Impact. Connection,” IFF 2026 focused on four strategic priorities shaping the next generation of financial systems: Africa’s digital currency corridors, AI-powered financial inclusion, open finance ecosystems, and climate fintech solutions.

Sector leaders at the conference also pushed for ‘regulatory passporting,” which allows a fintech licensed in one country to operate in another. They believed that this was already seeing success. A pilot programme between Rwanda and Ghana was hailed as the blueprint for a pan-African digital market, proving that when rules align, innovation scales.

Major highlights of the opening day included two landmark partnership deals by MoMo Rwanda Limited. These were MoMo and Ecobank, a collaboration to provide instant, mobile-first micro-loans to SMEs, bypassing traditional collateral hurdles.

The second was MoMo and Bank of Kigali. This is the launch of a 100 per cent digital lending pathway, from application to disbursement, aimed at cementing Rwanda’s cash-lite economy.

With Rwanda now ranked 3rd in Africa on the Global Financial Centres Index, Prime Minister Justin Nsengiyumva noted that the continent is no longer at the margins of the global economic order.

“This moment presents both uncertainty and opportunity,” the Prime Minister remarked, emphasising that digital infrastructure and human capital are the new currencies of African growth.

CEO of KIFC, Hortense Mudenge, added that the forum’s ultimate goal is to ensure innovation translates into “real economic opportunity” for the person on the street, not just the firm in the boardroom.

Chief Executive Officer of the Global Finance & Technology Network, Sopnendu Mohanty, highlighted the importance of global collaboration in advancing inclusive finance.

“The Inclusive FinTech Forum is where global expertise and emerging market innovation converge. By connecting regulators, innovators, investors, and development partners, we are building a collaborative ecosystem that accelerates financial inclusion and drives sustainable economic growth,” he said.