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Interswitch Group Hosts Inaugural Ecosystem Innovation Mixer

L-R Akeem Hassan, Technical Adviser to the Honourable Commissioner, Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology, Lagos State Government; Esther Otusanya, Selection and Growth Manager, Endeavor representing Ireayo Oladunjoye, MD, Endeavor; Adaobi Okerekeocha, Chief Innovation Officer, Interswitch; Linda Ochugbua, Digital Sales Manager, BusinessDay; and Olapeju Nwanganga, Founder, Pepcode at the inaugural Interswitch Startup Mixer held by Interswitch Group in Lagos recently. Interswitch Group, one of Africa’s leading integrated payments and digital commerce companies, recently put together the maiden edition of its startup innovation mixer, which took place at the Interswitch Innovation Hub at the company’s Lagos HQ. Themed "Unlocking Synergies between Startups and Established Corporates," the event took place on January 24, 2025 and attracted a cross-section of stakeholders across the broader tech, fintech and payments industries, including Interswitch Alumni. This Innovation Mixer was conceptualized by Interswitch to bridge the gap between startups and established businesses and the program is designed to provide a periodically sustainable platform for stakeholders across the tech ecosystem to collaborate, share ideas, and forge partnerships, progressively bringing together a vibrant mix of innovators, tech enthusiasts, investors, and industry leaders for an evening of transformative solutions and networking. Highlighting the significance of the event, Adaobi Okerekeocha, Chief Innovation Officer, Interswitch, noted that partnership remains central to driving innovation within Africa’s tech ecosystem. She expressed optimism about the mixer’s potential to generate lasting impact, saying: "At Interswitch, we believe collaboration is the bedrock of innovation. As the tech and innovation landscape in Nigeria and across Africa continues to evolve, its immense and untapped potential calls for platforms like this to unlock new possibilities. Our Startup Mixer series represents a pivotal step toward building a vibrant community where startups and established corporates can exchange ideas, explore opportunities, and forge synergies that drive impactful solutions." Last Friday’s event featured panel discussions, including that moderated by Akeem Hassan, Technical Adviser to the Honourable Commissioner, Ministry of Innovation, Science, and Technology, Lagos State Government. Panelists on the line-up at the event included Ireayo Oladunjoye, Managing Director, Endeavor Nigeria represented by  Esther Otusanya, Selection and Growth Manager, Endeavor Nigeria; Linda Ochugbua, Digital Sales Manager, BusinessDay; and Olapeju Nwanganga, Founder, Pepcode, and collectively, they delved into salient themes, exploring practical ways to strengthen collaboration between startups and established corporates. Participants at the event contributed to stimulating discussions, which afforded meaningful networking opportunities as well as a tour of Interswitch’s brand new Innovation and Ventures Labs and co-working spaces available to Interswitch partners and startup companies. The mixer also included a session in which Interswitch’s Innovation Team shared inspiring success stories, and examples of transformative partnerships championed by Africa’s pioneer tech/payments unicorn, which are shaping the future of Nigeria's tech ecosystem and driving innovation across Africa. By hosting this event, Interswitch reaffirms its unwavering commitment to nurturing innovation and fostering partnerships that drive growth within Nigeria’s tech ecosystem and beyond. Interswitch is a leading technology-driven company focused on the digitization of payments and commerce across Africa. Founded in Nigeria in 2002, Interswitch disrupted the traditional cash-based payments value chain in Nigeria by supporting the introduction of electronic payments processing and switching services, and also launched Verve, Africa’s premier and leading domestic EMV-standard chip and pin payments card scheme. Today, Interswitch is a leading player with critical mass across Africa’s developing financial ecosystem and is active across the payments value chain, providing a full suite of omni-channel payment solutions. Interswitch’s vision is to make payments a seamless part of everyday life in Africa, and its mission is to create transaction solutions that enable individuals and communities to prosper across Africa. Interswitch’s broad network and robust payments platform have been instrumental to the development of the Nigerian payments ecosystem and provide Interswitch with the infrastructure to expand across Africa. See more at www.interswitchgroup.com