We, probably, don’t remember the last transaction we made, we remember what it was meant for.

That was the highlight of Interswitch’s message yesterday, June 25, 2025, as it premiered its latest brand campaign, “Powering Moments That Matter,” at its Innovation Lab in Victoria Island, Lagos.

With fintech jargon overwhelming daily lives today, Interswitch chose to step back, focusing on the deep human impact on individuals across Africa, asking the question; what’s the point of all this technology if it doesn’t help us live better, fuller, more human lives?

Beyond a product reveal or marketing campaign, the Interswitch TVC Premiere was a reflection on the moments we live for, the ones we usually overlook, and the technology that makes them possible. 

Be it a father paying for emergency treatment, a young woman starting her dream business, or a child walking into their first classroom, Interswitch wanted us to see that money is only meaningful when it powers something real.

“This is not just about the business or the brand, it’s about people, it’s about the story we tell that touches lives,” said Dr Cherry Eromosele, executive vice president and group chief marketing & communications officer at Interswitch.

“It has not been an easy journey working in a space that people see as very technical. One of the biggest challenges is: how do you humanise a brand like ours? We’ve had to co-create with customers, listen deeply, and develop solutions that truly matter to them.”

From enabling daily transactions to life-changing moments, like urgent hospital payments, entrepreneurial breakthroughs, and first-time home purchases, Interswitch’s campaign zooms in on the value of its infrastructure. 

The commercial, created entirely in Africa by African talent, not AI, is a visceral insight that behind every payment is a person, a story, a dream.

Tomi Ogunlesi, divisional head of Brands and Communications, took attendees through Interswitch’s brand evolution, spotlighting its core belief that technology only matters when it connects meaningfully to human experiences.

The Interswitch new campaign builds on a rich legacy of storytelling. In 2015, Interswitch began by establishing trust as the core currency in fintech. In subsequent years, it embraced curiosity and innovation, and later encouraged customers to “see beyond the big picture.”

The latest phase goes even further, placing human experience at the centre of the brand’s ethos.

“We see money move, we process billions of transactions,” said Ogunlesi. “But what really matters are the moments behind those transactions. From a child’s school fees to a last-minute flight to see a loved one, Interswitch is there, quietly powering it all.”

This campaign reiterates Interswitch’s footprint across the continent, having been shot in multiple African countries, including Nigeria, Kenya, and Uganda, with the objective of representing a shared African identity. 

Casting and production were painstakingly curated to ensure audiences could relate universally, regardless of geography.

Paul Otu, divisional head, Design, Research & User Experience, explained: “It was important to tell authentic stories, stories everyone can see themselves in. Everyone knows someone chasing a dream, someone battling illness, someone trying to build a future. And in all those stories, Interswitch is quietly there, enabling those moments.”

This past financial year alone, Interswitch achieved commendable milestones, from sponsoring the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards and Uganda’s Developer Summit, to collaborating with governments in Lagos, Sierra Leone, and Kenya to drive fintech innovation. 

The company introduced tech solutions like CipherTrust, enabled YouTube subscription payments in naira, and reached a historic 70 million debit cards issued milestone. Their continued role in nurturing Africa’s tech ecosystem, through platforms like TechConnect 4.0 and the Spark National Science Competition, stresses its focus and dedication to the continent’s sustainability.

“We’re not just a payments company anymore,” Dr Eromosele stated. “We’re a technology enabler across sectors; healthcare, education, energy, and more. We are here to make sure the technology you rely on is invisible when it works and unforgettable in the moments it enables.”

Interestingly, while the fintech world highly utilises AI-generated content, Interswitch took a contrarian route, going all-human. “Fintechs use AI to create full commercials,” said Ogunlesi. “But we’re doubling down on human connection. This was created 100% in Africa by Africans, for Africans.”

The final commercial, a 90-second video which took weeks of creation, was rich in emotion. It does not show POS machines or app interfaces like normal Fintech ads. Instead, it shows a life saved, a small business breaking even, a mother happy to see her unborn child and many more. Calm, but powerful.

“When you see this ad, you might forget the platform behind it,” said Dr Eromosele. “But you won’t forget the moment it represents. That’s when we know we’ve done our job.”

With a strong internal culture built on mantras like “speedy execution with accuracy” and “do the right thing the first time,” Interswitch remains committed to bolstering Africa’s digital space. The company’s 4.5.6 +Xb strategy, places sustainable growth and human-centred design at the core of its business.

As the curtains closed on the event, the Interswitch personnel reiterated that this is not the end, not even the peak. It’s just a new chapter.

“We’ll never stop telling stories that matter,” said Ogunlesi. “We’ll never stop humanising technology, and we’ll never stop moving Africa forward, one moment at a time.”