Gabriel Ologunwa, Global Expansions and Payment Partnerships Lead for Anglophone West Africa at Flutterwave, joined policymakers, financial institutions, fintech leaders, and industry stakeholders at the Nigeria Fintech Forum to discuss the future of cross-border payments and regional financial integration across Africa. Speaking during a panel on unlocking seamless cross-border payments, Gabriel said Africa is closer than many realise to solving longstanding barriers to regional commerce. If we continue to see stronger regulatory coordination alongside sustained private sector innovation, Africa is well within reach of delivering a truly real-time, low-cost cross-border payments network over the next few years,” Gabriel said. Gabriel also highlighted that for small and medium-sized businesses, the challenge extends beyond accepting payments. Businesses need a unified financial infrastructure that brings together collections, payouts, foreign exchange, compliance, and reconciliation into a single, seamless experience.