Nkebet Mesele’s voice rings with warmth as she welcomes listeners to a special episode to launch the Made-in-Payment Podcast.
“Happy International Women’s Day to all the amazing women doing great things,” she says, her tone filled with the kind of conviction that comes from years of lived experience. “To celebrate IWD 2025, we spoke to four trailblazers! Women who have done remarkable things in the payment space across Africa and continue to innovate.”
Mesele, a globally recognized payments expert, is no stranger to the intricacies of the payments ecosystem. With over 20 years of experience in banking, payments, education, and telecommunications, she recently launched Intreensic, a payments education and advisory firm, driven by a mission to bridge Africa’s fintech talent gap.
On this day, her focus is on something even dearer to her heart, the voices of women who are not just shaping the industry but redefining its possibilities.
This special edition, Women in Payments, featured Kemi Okusanya, CEO of Hydrogen; Titilola Shogaolu, Divisional CEO, Interswitch Financial Inclusion Services (IFIS); Celestina Appeal, Head, Card Business & E-Business Operations, Zenith Bank; and Eduofon Japhet, Managing Director, Habaripay. These formidable women shared their personal journeys, insights, and strategies for navigating the complex and dynamic payments landscape in Africa.
The Road to Leadership: Lessons from Industry Titans
For Kemi Okusanya, resilience and self-belief have been at the heart of her success.
“I grew up in a family of all girls at a time when that wasn’t the most celebrated thing. But that shaped me. I grew up washing cars, fixing electrical appliances. Learning early on that there was nothing stopping me as a woman,” she shared.
Today, Kemi is a recognized leader in fintech, having worked across banking, remittances, and payments before venturing into the cutting-edge space of Fintech.
Titilola Shogaolu, who began her career at First Atlantic Bank before joining Interswitch in 2004, reflected on the evolution of Nigeria’s financial landscape. “Back then, we were going from bank to bank, telling them what they could do with card services. At that time, getting cash from an ATM was revolutionary,” she recalled. “Women must take pride in their milestones, even when it feels like progress is slow. Problem-solving, multitasking, and resilience have been my guiding principles.”
For Celestina Appeal, her journey into payments was a twist of fate.
“I didn’t start with payments. I was in international banking and financial control before moving into reconciliation at Ecobank. One day, my boss asked if I could solve a critical challenge for a major international payment card launch. I had never used a payment card before, but I applied my past experiences, solved the issue, and the project went live. That moment changed my career.” Her story is a testament to the importance of adaptability and seizing unexpected opportunities.
“There’s never a straight line to your career; you’ll always need to take those detours that help you build breadth and let you build a network. Says Eduofon Japhet, Managing Director of HabariPay,‘ As you journey through your career, there are things you must prioritize. You must prioritize growth. Growth means that you’re building skills, you’re gaining exposure, and you’re building a network.”
Eduofon highlights the importance of adaptability, networking, and continuous learning in the fintech space. She encourages professionals to embrace new opportunities, even if they come in the form of pro bono roles, to gain experience that can lead to bigger projects.
The Future of Women in Payments
According to Statista, revenue from online and offline electronic payments in Africa is expected to grow by 152% by 2025, reaching $39 billion. The continent leads the world in mobile money, accounting for 70% of the $1 trillion global market. Women, undeniably, are at the heart of this transformation—whether as leaders of major financial institutions or as entrepreneurs leveraging fintech to build businesses.
But representation still lags behind. The women featured in this Made-in-Payment special, have one thing in common: they have defied expectations and rewritten the rules. Yet, they all acknowledge that the journey is far from over.
“There’s a natural DNA that women possess,” Okusanya reflects. “It’s important for women to understand the distinction between who they are at work and who they are outside of it. We’re often taught to be reserved, but in business, you have to step forward. The market doesn’t wait for anyone,” she adds.
This episode of Made-in-Payment is more than just a celebration. It is a call to action. A call for more women to step forward, to own their expertise, and to lead the charge in building Africa’s digital financial future.
Catch an exclusive sneak peek of the podcast here! Follow Intreensic on social media for the full podcast experience alongside latest trends shaping payments across Africa and beyond.
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