The fintech ecosystem in West Africa is expanding at an unprecedented pace, powered not just by innovative startups but by visionary leaders shaping payments, policy, and infrastructure.

From local payment rails to global card networks, women are now playing an impactful role in different fintech spaces.

These women are driving how money moves across the region. Here are ten (10) women who hold positions that influence how money moves across the region.

1. Kemi Okunsanya (CEO, Hydrogen)

Kemi Okunsanya, a computer science and engineering graduate from Enugu State University, leads Hydrogen Payment Services Company Limited.

With over 20 years in banking, remittances, and the oil and gas sector, Okunsanya has held top roles at Zenith Bank, MoneyGram, and Visa, where she facilitated the launch of Visa on Mobile in Ghana and expanded it to Nigeria.

At Hydrogen, she has overseen ₦42 trillion in transactions over two years, launching Instant Pay and POS solutions for over 20,000 merchants.

Her work is shaping a payments network that directly impacts the region’s financial accessibility.

2. Aminata Kane (SVP and Head of West and Central Africa, Visa)

Aminata Kane, educated at HEC Paris and MIT Sloan, began her career at Goldman Sachs before leading Orange Sierra Leone and the Orange Money Group across 17 countries.

In September 2024, she was appointed Senior Vice President at Visa, managing operations across 23 markets, including Lagos, Accra, and Kinshasa.

Kane oversees Visa’s $1 billion Africa investment initiative, promoting interoperability and SME growth.

Her accolades include Africa CEO of the Year (2020), Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum, and recognition among the 100 Most Influential African Women CEOs.

3. Uche Uzoebo (MD, SANEF)

Uche Uzoebo became CEO of SANEF in February 2025, after 15 years at Diamond Bank (now Access Bank), where she led agency and merchant services.

Her tenure at SANEF has expanded Nigeria’s agent banking network to over 2 million points, with initiatives like a partnership with Women’s World Banking to empower Northern Nigeria’s communities.

4. Clara B. Arthur (CEO, GhIPSS)

Clara B. Arthur oversees Ghana Interbank Payment and Settlement Systems (GhIPSS), a key infrastructure arm of the Bank of Ghana.

With degrees in law, history, and finance, and over two decades of experience, she has held leadership roles at Ecobank and Fidelity Bank Ghana.

At GhIPSS, Arthur manages national platforms such as Instant Pay and mobile money interoperability, ensuring that Ghana’s fintech ecosystem operates on robust and standardized technical foundations.

5. Amandine Lobelle (COO, Paystack / Stripe Africa)

Amandine Lobelle, formerly in M&A at Morgan Stanley and venture capital at IFC, joined Paystack and played a crucial role in its $200M acquisition by Stripe.

She now leads operational strategy across finance, compliance, legal, and sales, driving Paystack’s expansion into new sectors and international markets.

6. Folasade Femi-Lawal (Country Manager, Mastercard)

Folasade Femi-Lawal brings over 30 years of banking, consulting, and telecom experience.

As Mastercard’s Country Manager and Area Business Head for West Africa, she oversees regional partnerships that facilitate card issuance and international payments.

Lawal is a vocal advocate for financial inclusion, particularly for rural women, leveraging her experience from UNICEF-partnered projects.

Her recognition includes Fintech CEO of the Year (2025) and a feature in Forbes’ list of women shaping financial inclusion.

7. Carine Coura Sène (Regional Director, Wave)

Carine Coura Sène leads Wave Mobile Money operations in the WAEMU region, spanning Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, Mali, and Burkina Faso.

A software engineer with a master’s from Polytech’Lille, she joined Wave in 2018 and has since scaled the platform into Francophone West Africa’s first unicorn.

8. Camelia Ganga (Chief Growth Officer, Moniepoint)

Camelia Ganga directs Moniepoint’s expansion strategy. With over 15 years across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, she has scaled high-growth businesses, bringing expertise from roles at Glovo, Rain, and IKEA.

Her leadership has made Moniepoint’s POS network widely adopted across Nigeria.

9. Odunayo Eweniyi (Co-founder and COO, PiggyVest)

Odunayo Eweniyi, a Computer Engineering graduate from Covenant University, co-founded PiggyVest in 2016, now one of Nigeria’s top savings and investment platforms with over 4.5 million users.

She also co-founded FirstCheck Africa, providing early-stage funding for women-led startups, strengthening the region’s fintech talent pipeline.

10. Eduofon Japhet (Managing Director, Squad / HabariPay)

Eduofon Japhet heads HabariPay, GTCO’s fintech arm, overseeing its flagship product, Squad.

A Computer Science graduate from the University of Nigeria, she pivoted the platform in 2022 to focus on digital financial services, achieving a 12-fold profit increase in three years, underscoring the power of strategic fintech leadership.