At a time when Nigeria’s fintech industry was undergoing rapid evolution and African economies
were searching for scalable digital solutions, Chukwuyem Igabari quietly became one of the
strategic minds helping to shape the sector’s future from within. Between 2014 and 2020, he played
a series of high-impact roles at Interswitch Group, a leading African digital payments and
commerce company.
In this exclusive interview with Racheal Olatayo, Chukwuyem reflects on his journey, strategic contributions, and the future of fintech in Africa.

What was your entry point into Interswitch, and what motivated your interest in fintech at the time?
I joined Interswitch initially as a Research Analyst, which was a natural fit given my passion for data and problem-solving. At the time, fintech in Africa was still developing, and Interswitch stood out as a company with both vision and the infrastructure to scale impact. I saw
it as a platform where I could drive real, meaningful change, not just for the company, but for the broader ecosystem.

You later transitioned into a Strategy Consultant role. What did that involve?
As a Strategy Consultant, I focused on aligning the company’s performance goals with its long-
term strategic vision. One of my most impactful projects was developing and implementing a
performance review framework for two of Interswitch’s top revenue-generating business units. We
used the Balanced Scorecard methodology to tie business metrics to actionable objectives. This
improved organizational alignment and contributed to stronger, more consistent revenue performance year after year.

Interswitch made a major acquisition during your tenure. What was your role in that process?
Yes, we acquired a health tech firm called E’CLAT, and I led the post-acquisition integration. My
responsibility was to ensure that operational and strategic alignment happened smoothly. We
successfully completed over 70% of integration goals within the initial timeframe and budget. It
was a complex but rewarding experience that reinforced my project management and changed
leadership skills.

COVID-19 disrupted many industries. How did your team respond?
It was a critical moment. Many organizations were struggling to stay operational, and we knew we
had to pivot quickly. I led a team of analysts to shift our operational focus toward essential goods
payments, a strategy that helped Interswitch maintain resilience and even achieve a 3.5% revenue
increase during that volatile period. Real-time data and agile strategy made the difference.