The third edition of the Africa Money & DeFi Summit West Africa is set to take place in Accra, Ghana, on September 24–25, bringing together over 500 stakeholders from across Africa’s rapidly evolving financial technology ecosystem.
The high-profile event, organized by the team behind the Africa Tech Summit Series, will convene fintech leaders, investors, government representatives, telecom operators, blockchain pioneers, and startup founders to explore investment opportunities, digital innovation, and the rise of decentralized finance (DeFi) across the continent.
As stablecoins and digital currencies gain real-world traction in Africa, from powering cross-border transactions to enabling payroll and business operations, the summit aims to spotlight scalable fintech solutions shaping the continent’s future.
A Fast-Changing Financial Landscape
Africa’s financial systems are witnessing a seismic shift, largely driven by mobile-based digital finance. According to summit director Andrew Fassnidge,
“Stablecoins now support payroll, cross-border transfers, and business operations, driving real commercial momentum.”
Data cited by organisers reveals that mobile-based stablecoin transfers surged by 61%, while 43% of all digital asset transactions in the region now involve stablecoins. These figures point to a growing reliance on decentralised solutions amid limited traditional banking infrastructure.
Why It Matters
The Africa Money & DeFi Summit West Africa is crucial as it highlights the transformative role of fintech and decentralized finance in addressing Africa’s financial inclusion challenges.
With traditional banking systems often inaccessible to millions, mobile money, stablecoins, and blockchain-based solutions are reshaping how Africans send, receive, and manage money.
The summit, according to experts, serves as a key platform for connecting innovators with global investors, driving scalable solutions across payments, lending, digital identity, and cross-border transfers.
As crypto adoption accelerates, with stablecoins making up 43% of digital asset transactions and mobile-based transfers up 61%, the event underscores Africa’s potential to not only embrace but lead in the next generation of digital finance.
Innovation at the Core
This year’s summit will shine a spotlight on key fintech developments such as embedded finance, lending platforms, digital identity systems, Web3 applications, and mobile money innovations.
The event aims to create a bridge between technology developers and impact-driven investors ready to scale these innovations.
“This summit brings together the builders, investors, and platforms turning emerging technologies into scalable business and investment opportunities,” Fassnidge added.
Spotlight on African Startups
Applications are invited to show interest in the core feature of the summit which is its Investment Showcase, a live pitch session offering selected African ventures the chance to secure funding and strategic partnerships.
Startups focused on fintech, blockchain, payments, Web3, and DeFi are invited to apply. The showcase is positioned as a platform for
“investment-ready” innovators seeking capital to grow and scale their businesses within and beyond Africa.
Regional Significance
As West Africa becomes a growing hub for financial technology, Accra’s hosting of the event signifies Ghana’s rising profile in the regional tech ecosystem.
With mobile penetration deepening and crypto adoption accelerating across the continent, the Africa Money & DeFi Summit serves as a timely convergence point for leaders shaping the next wave of digital finance in Africa.
Talking Points
The return of the Africa Money & DeFi Summit West Africa not just as another tech gathering, but as a pointer of a broader economic transformation driven by African innovation.
The numbers alone, like the 61% surge in mobile-based stablecoin transfers and 43% of digital asset transactions involving stablecoins, are proof that decentralized finance is no longer theoretical on the continent; it’s practical, it’s growing, and it’s people-powered.
In regions where traditional banking systems are either inefficient or inaccessible, these decentralized tools are not just alternatives, they’re essential infrastructure.
What’s most compelling is the way African fintech is evolving beyond digital wallets and remittances into embedded finance, credit systems, and digital identity platforms, laying the groundwork for sustainable, inclusive economies.
The summit’s focus on showcasing local startups is equally important, as it channels investor attention toward homegrown solutions designed for real African problems, not just imported models that fail to scale.
In my opinion, events like this are critical for ensuring Africa doesn’t merely consume global innovation but leads the charge, redefining what financial systems should look like in the digital age.
