7 Promising Female Leaders Shaping Africa’s FinTech Sector

Nigeria is home to women who are redefining what leadership in Fintech looks like. These trailblazers aren’t just building products or driving strategy, they’re unlocking growth, scaling businesses, and shaping the future of finance in Africa. 

From securing multimillion-dollar deals to designing innovative paths for financial inclusion, they’re proving that women can thrive in spaces where representation is still catching up. Beyond revenue and metrics, their impact lies in breaking barriers and paving the way for the next generation of women in tech and finance. Here are a few female fintech leaders to watch out for .

1. Chinaza Nduka-Dike: Vice President of People Operations at Moniepoint Inc.

While her role is in People Operations, her contributions are directly linked to the company’s growth and ability to scale. She has been instrumental in expanding Moniepoint’s “Women in Tech” internship program, which is a key initiative for building a diverse and skilled talent pipeline. The program aims to empower women to take on leadership roles, which is critical for the long-term growth and innovation of the company. Her work directly supports Moniepoint’s mission to “power the dreams of millions” by transforming the careers of talented women.

Mentioned in multiple news articles from outlets like Punch Newspapers and CSR Reporters for her role in the Moniepoint Women in Tech initiative. She is quoted discussing the importance of diversity and inclusion in the tech industry.
Meet her on LinkedIn

2. Damilola Teidi-Ayool : Director of Incubation at Ventures Platform.

As a director at a VC firm, her work is directly tied to the growth of FinTech startups. She has been quoted in TechCabal discussions on funding disparities for female-led startups, highlighting the importance of a strong pipeline of women in STEM. Her role in incubation means she is actively nurturing and guiding the next generation of Nigerian FinTech companies, influencing their growth strategies and helping them secure funding.

Featured in a TechCabal Insights article discussing the challenges and solutions for women-led startups in Africa. Her insights and contributions to the conversation highlight her thought leadership in the ecosystem. Meet her on linkedIn

3. Thea Sokolowski : Head of Marketing at Stitch.

Head of Marketing at Stitch, a FinTech company focused on financial API infrastructure, Thea’s role is crucial for driving brand awareness, customer acquisition, and market growth. Her work involves strategic marketing campaigns that are essential for B2B FinTech companies to attract developers and businesses.

Included in a list of “30 Inspirational Women Shaping the Future of Fintech in Africa,” which acknowledges her impact and thought leadership in a key growth function. Meet her on linkedin

4. Seun Runsewe : Senior Product Manager at Chipper Cash

Seun is a seasoned business leader with a strong history in building and scaling fintech products. Her significant accomplishments include being a Business Lead at Paystack in its early days, where she contributed to its growth before its acquisition. She also served as the CEO of Switch by Sterling Bank, making her one of Africa’s youngest banking CEOs. At Chipper Cash, a multi-billion dollar unicorn, her role as a Senior Product Manager is critical in developing the products that drive the company’s growth in cross-border payments and other financial services. She has also founded Biamo Money, a digital bank for mothers.

Seun has been recognized by The Future Project as an honouree of #YTech100 and featured in publications like Vogue India for being a woman at the forefront of West Africa’s tech boom. She is a known speaker and has a strong presence on platforms like Medium, where she shares her insights on product leadership and the fintech ecosystem. Meet her on LinkedIn

5. Ruth Ehiorobo : Growth and Partnership Manager Payaza

Ruth Ehiorobo is a fintech professional with a strong record in sales, business development, and account management. At Payaza Africa, she led a growth team that delivered a $10 million increase in annual revenue and boosted transaction volumes by 35%. During her time at Flutterwave, she managed key business portfolios and executed growth strategies that drove an average of 30% month-on-month revenue growth, while also negotiating foreign exchange deals worth about $1.5 million monthly. Skilled in B2B client management, upselling, and building tailored product solutions, Ruth has also mentored sales teams to improve performance.

Her work building Toju—a company she co-founded—earned her the 2021 Migration Entrepreneurship Prize from Seedstars and the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA). This award highlights how focused, commercial leadership can positively impact the lives of more than 350,000 people on irregular migration routes, while directly driving revenue growth and market expansion within Nigeria’s competitive fintech sector
Meet her on linkedIn

6. Damilola Odufuwa: Senior communications role at Trust Wallet.

Her career is a hybrid of media, tech, and activism, in tech, she has held high-impact communications roles at major companies like Binance and Trust Wallet, where she is responsible for managing public relations, corporate communications, and brand storytelling. As the CEO of Backdrop, she is building a tech company focused on travel and social networking. Her most widely recognized contribution is her role as a co-founder of the Feminist Coalition, a non-profit that played a pivotal role in the 2020 #EndSARS protests by fundraising over $400,000 for medical aid, legal support, and food for protesters. This work showcased her ability to leverage technology and community organizing for social impact, with a direct link to financial technology for fundraising.

Her work has earned her international recognition, including being named to the Bloomberg 50 list of people who changed global business, TIME100 Next 2021, and British Vogue’s “12 Women Leaders That Changed The World In 2020.” She is a frequent subject of media interviews where she discusses her activism, her entrepreneurial journey, and the intersection of technology, finance, and women’s rights in Africa. Meet Her on LinkedIn

7. Yanmo Omorogbe: Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer (COO) at Bamboo.

Yanmo moved from academia to fintech.  After studying Chemical Engineering at Imperial College London, she served as an assistant to the Nigerian Minister of Power, Works, and Housing. This experience gave her firsthand insight into systemic challenges in Nigeria. She then moved into the private sector, working with a leading private equity firm focused on infrastructure in Africa, where she honed her investment management skills. This unique background prepared her to co-found Bamboo, a platform that empowers Nigerians to trade assets on the U.S. stock exchange. As COO, she is the operational backbone of the company, leading its growth and ensuring the platform is simple, transparent, and accessible to a new generation of investors.

Her career path has been a subject of numerous interviews and articles, including features in Forbes Africa and appearances on podcasts like “FoundersConnect.” These media mentions often highlight her transition from engineering to public service and finally to fintech, positioning her as a thought leader who understands both the public and private sector challenges in Nigeria.
Meet her on linkedIn