Nigeria and other African countries are at risk of slipping into a new era of digital colonisation unless they take full ownership of their data and technological infrastructure, the Chief Technology Officer of Remita Payment Services Limited, Mujib Ishola, has warned.
Speaking at the FITC Fintech Nigeria Technovation Conference, Ishola urged African governments and industry leaders to move beyond dependency on external systems and instead drive authentic, purpose-led collaboration to secure the continent’s digital future.
Ishola spoke during a plenary session moderated by Catherine Onelum.
which also featured Adeyinka Adekoya, Group Head, Corporate Retail and Energy Business at Interswitch Group; Vice President, Operations at Flutterwave, Tomi Badejo; and Chief Executive Officer, Precise Financial Systems, Dr Yele Okeremi.
Ishola emphasised the urgent need for Africa to take control of its digital destiny. “The narrative of Nigeria as a consuming nation is now extending into the digital space. We must reclaim ownership of that narrative and resist perpetuating cycles of technological dependency,” he stated, highlighting the risk of digital colonisation facing the continent.
Ishola traced Africa’s unique relationship with data back to ancient civilisations, emphasising that the continent has always approached information management through distinct epistemological frameworks.
“Africa has historically recorded and interpreted data through indigenous systems, from hieroglyphics to traditional knowledge preservation methods. These unique frameworks meant something fundamentally different to our societies and should inform our contemporary digital infrastructure,” he explained.
On governance and data-sharing frameworks, Ishola outlined essential principles that must guide collaborative infrastructure. “Any specification or framework that emerges must address fundamental questions: the veracity of shared data, clear ownership protocols, secure storage architectures, and consent-based sharing mechanisms that ensure responsible stewardship of information assets,” he emphasised.
Warning of the escalating risks inherent in data dependency, particularly as artificial intelligence amplifies existing vulnerabilities, Ishola noted: “The most critical risk we face is entrusting our data to external custodians, only to consume derivative insights while paying perpetually for access to our own information capital.”
Addressing indigenous innovation, Ishola celebrated Remita’s pioneering role in Nigeria’s open banking evolution. “Remita pioneered open banking architecture before the terminology gained international recognition. True innovators and visionaries identify transformative paradigms long before they achieve market maturity or formal nomenclature,” he observed, highlighting how African solutions often emerge from contextual necessity rather than prescribed global frameworks.
According to him, African technology talent remains under recognised despite driving significant global innovation. “Nigerian and African technologists are foundational contributors to cutting-edge developments across the technology landscape. Our capacity for thriving in challenging environments positions us at the vanguard of technological advancement,” he said.
On the panel’s theme of collaboration, Ishola called for a fundamental shift from performative rhetoric to substantive partnership. “The term ‘collaboration’ has become somewhat diluted through overuse. What we require is authentic, transparent collaboration that genuinely advances our collective mission rather than serving as corporate theatre,” he emphasised.
Highlighting Remita’s commitment to nation-building, Ishola revealed the company’s philosophy toward national infrastructure development. “At Remita, we lead with purpose. For every national project, our priority is to address critical national needs, ensuring that impact takes precedence over short-term gains. Building sustainable value for our country is, and will always remain, our foremost commitment,” he explained.
In a powerful closing statement, Ishola challenged assumptions about Africa’s position in global technology development. When asked whether Africa could lead in creating trust-driven digital ecosystems, he responded: “The question presupposes Africa is not already leading. We must abandon the narrative of awaiting external salvation. Nigerian software and fintech solutions are world-class. PFS, Interswitch, Remita, and the broader Nigerian fintech ecosystem have made substantive contributions to global technological advancement and financial innovation,” he declared.
His remarks drew attention to Remita’s role in enabling Nigeria’s digital infrastructure and powering collaboration across private, public and continental boundaries. Through Remita, which integrates payments, collections and financial intelligence, they continue to serve as critical infrastructure for the nation’s digital growth.
The PUNCH reports that Remita Payment Services Limited is a Nigerian fintech company providing simpler financial transactions for individuals, businesses and public institutions.
