Africa: PalmPay Strengthens Financial Inclusion Through Trust and Local Partnerships

African neobank PalmPay has reaffirmed its commitment to advancing financial inclusion by emphasising trust, simplicity, and community-driven partnerships as the foundations for scaling financial services across the continent.

At GITEX 2025, held at the Landmark Centre in Lagos on September 4, Chibuzor Melah, Vice President of Partnerships at PalmPay, joined a high-level panel discussion titled “From Idea to Infrastructure—The African Tech Executive & Founders’ Playbook.” The session explored how innovative concepts are being transformed into scalable systems that power Africa’s digital economy.

Melah pointed to the persistent barriers to financial inclusion, including Nigeria’s heavy reliance on cash and low levels of financial literacy. He stressed that overcoming these challenges requires more than just technological solutions.

“Our greatest responsibility is to earn trust. Security and compliance must come first, because customers deserve to feel protected. But beyond that, financial tools must be simple, accessible, and truly usable for every Nigerian, regardless of background,” he said.

Simplicity, he added, is essential for adoption in low-literacy regions. PalmPay, which now serves over 40 million users, has designed its platform to be intuitive and user-friendly, ensuring accessibility for all segments of society.

Melah also outlined PalmPay’s playbook for building sustainable financial infrastructure:

• Launch with a core product that delivers immediate value.

• Forge strong local partnerships that meet real community needs.

• Maintain agility through decentralised decision-making, enabling adaptation to Africa’s diverse markets.

He urged African innovators to remain agile, tailor products and branding to local conditions, and prioritise customer experience as the ultimate driver of growth.

PalmPay’s participation at GITEX 2025 underscores its broader strategy of blending technology with local insight to expand financial access, deepen trust in digital platforms, and empower millions across Africa