Microsoft, Flutterwave Partner to Boost Payment Innovation across Africa
Emma Okonji
Microsoft, a global technology company and Flutterwave, a global payment company, have entered into a five-year strategic partnership that will enable Flutterwave to ride on Microsoft’s intelligent cloud and intelligent edge to boost payment innovation for merchants across Africa.
Announcing the partnership at a press conference in Lagos, both technology companies said the Small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), remained crucial to Africa’s progress and development, adding that the collaboration will further enhance payments for merchants and SMEs across Africa.
Current estimates are that around 90 per cent of the continent’s population is employed within SMEs. Beyond employment, these businesses are often at the forefront of innovation, providing solutions to Africa’s most pressing societal challenges.
Speaking about the partnership and its benefits to customers, Country Manager, Microsoft Nigeria, Ola Williams, said: “To drive sustainable growth in Nigeria, small businesses need the ability to participate more actively in the local and even global marketplace. This begins with digital financial inclusion. If we want to build a more resilient country and ultimately a more prosperous continent, we must begin by giving these businesses the digital financial services they need, not just to survive, but to thrive.”
Commenting on the partnership, Founder and CEO of Flutterwave, Olugbenga ‘GB’ Agboola, said: “In our journey at Flutterwave, we have always strived to touch lives by simplifying payments and connecting dreams to opportunities. Today, as we join hands with Microsoft, it feels like a family reunion of visionaries and go-getters. The excitement in our team is palpable because this partnership is not just about transactions – it’s about transformation. We are honoured that Microsoft believes in our vision and trusts our capability. I am proud to say we are not just dreaming of an inclusive digital Africa; we are creating it.”
