In Africa’s fast-paced fintech sector, innovation has become synonymous with disruption. But as digital platforms expand access to financial services, they also widen the surface for cyber threats. For companies like Interswitch, cybersecurity is no longer a backend concern—it’s a business imperative. As former Head of Talent and Organizational Development at Interswitch, one of Africa’s most established digital payments platforms, Ussher-Eke was not a spectator to the challenges of scaling secure systems—she was inside the engine room. With 18 years’ experience in leading firms on the continent such as Continental Reinsurance, Interswitch, and global corporates like IBM and Samsung, her role placed her at the intersection of people, process, and technology during a period. That’s where her unique contribution lies. Her experience as Head of Talent and Organizational Development at Interswitch in particular illustrates how HR can play a transformative role in building cyber resilience.

Interswitch, one of Africa’s leading digital payment companies, powers billions of transactions annually across Nigeria and other African markets. Its infrastructure supports everything from ATMs to mobile payments to government collections. In such a system, a single weak link—whether a misconfigured device or a distracted employee—can jeopardize millions.

Ussher-Eke makes the compelling case that in fast-moving fintechs, people—not systems—are often the weakest (or strongest) link in cyber defenses. Her experiences underscore the practical vulnerabilities: staff falling for phishing attacks, poor data handling habits, overshared passwords, or access rights left open post-resignation. These are not theoretical risks—they are day-to-day realities in companies handling millions of financial transactions
Ussher-Eke approached this challenge not through technical fixes, but by hardwiring cybersecurity into the company’s people practices. Her insight: in fintech, where speed and scale often override risk awareness, human error is not a possibility—it’s a pattern. And if people are the perimeter, then HR must reinforce that boundary.

She began by redesigning onboarding. New hires received tailored cyber risk training aligned with their job roles. Engineers learned about secure coding practices and data handling standards; customer service teams were coached on social engineering threats; even senior leaders were trained in digital hygiene and breach response protocols. These sessions were practical, contextual, and reinforced through scenario-based learning.

But onboarding was just the start. Ussher-Eke collaborated with IT and compliance teams to embed cybersecurity into everyday HR processes. For example, she streamlined offboarding to ensure that access rights were revoked instantly upon resignation or termination—a crucial safeguard in an industry with high talent mobility.

She also tackled a common blind spot: third-party access. Contractors, vendors, and API partners often operate outside the company firewall but inside critical workflows. At Interswitch, she mandated that these external actors be subject to the same conduct standards, security protocols, and access reviews as employees. In doing so, she expanded the scope of cybersecurity from an internal issue to an ecosystem concern.

Ussher-Eke’s strategic influence extended to recruitment. She pushed for a broader definition of talent—one that included ethical judgment and digital responsibility, not just technical skills. Her rationale was clear: a developer who lacks awareness of data privacy risks is as dangerous as one who can’t code efficiently.

Another key achievement was her role in simplifying cybersecurity language for executive buy-in. She worked closely with C-suite leaders to build awareness, promote transparency, and lead by example. Executives were expected to model secure behavior—encrypting sensitive files, observing access protocols, and actively participating in cyber drills.

Crucially, her interventions weren’t just well-meaning initiatives. They were tied to metrics. Cyber behavior was added to performance scorecards. HR surveys included questions on digital trust. These feedback loops allowed her team to refine strategies and adjust communication without losing momentum.

In a time when fintech firms face rising fraud, regulatory scrutiny, and consumer demand for secure platforms, Ussher-Eke’s model shows what a mature cybersecurity culture looks like. It is not reactive. It is proactive, human-centered, and process-integrated.

Her work at Interswitch demonstrates that in fintech, cybersecurity is not just about encrypting data—it’s about enabling people to act as the first line of defense. And for that to happen, HR must sit at the cybersecurity table—not as a guest, but as a permanent member.