The 7th edition of the Africa Tech Summit (ATS) concluded at the Sarit Expo Centre, marking a pivotal shift from “foundational infrastructure” to “creative and AI-driven scale.”
The core theme was Integrating AI & Creative Economy into Financial Rails. Over two days, more than 1,600 industry leaders from 64 countries converged to define Africa’s next economic chapter: the integration of financial systems with the burgeoning creative and artificial intelligence sectors.
Building the Unified African Market as the summit opened with a clarion call for “Economic Independence” through integrated payment systems. CEO of Finacra, Wole Ayodele, emphasized that technical rails alone are insufficient without a shift in continental mindset. “Africa is not the biggest problem in the world; it is the biggest opportunity. We must achieve economic independence through intra-African trade, shared infrastructure, and unified policies. Love for the continent is the missing ingredient for true integration.” Wole Ayodele, CEO, Fincra.
A standout conclusion of the summit was the realization that while Africa has spent a decade building “rails for money” (Fintech), the next decade belongs to “rails for creativity.” Marie Lora-Mungai, a leading figure in African entertainment and sports business, highlighted the disruptive power of AI for African storytellers.
“Don’t even waste your time trying to raise money anymore. Just do it. With AI tools, you can multiply your creative output by 100 times. We are moving from a world of technical execution to a world of creative discernment where ‘taste’ and ‘vision’ are the only true currencies.” Marie Lora Mungai, Founder, Restless Global.
Scaling Through Strategic Collaboration
The “new reality” of venture capital in Africa was addressed by Shehryar Ali of Mastercard, who noted that the era of growth at all costs has been replaced by a focus on profitability and user engagement.
“Innovation must remain relevant to the next generation. We are seeing a rapid adoption of decentralized finance (DeFi) and super apps, but the winners will be those who leverage data and open banking through strategic partnerships rather than trying to scale in isolation.” Shehryar Ali, Senior VP, Mastercard East.
The summit’s findings provide a roadmap for stakeholders in 2026:AI as an Equalizer for creative industries, AI is reducing production costs to near zero, allowing African filmmakers and designers to “build in public” without traditional gatekeepers.
Fintech Maturity: The focus has shifted from “sending money” to “enabling commerce.” Cross-border payments are now the prerequisite for the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Resilience via Unity: Vincent Hoogduijn, CEO of VC4A, reminded the ecosystem of the collaborative mandate: “Go fast alone, but go far together.”
By Faustine Agnes
