Africa’s tech ecosystem is one of the most dynamic and fast-evolving in the world. Valued at an estimated $480 billion, the continent’s digital landscape is rapidly transforming, fueled by a growing number of tech startups, investment opportunities, and innovations across industries like fintech, e-commerce, agritech, healthtech, and more.
From Nairobi to Lagos and Cape Town, African startups have been attracting significant attention, contributing to the continent’s increasing share of global venture funding.
In 2024, African startups raised $2.2 billion in equity, grants, and debt, marking a 25% decrease from the previous year when $2.9 billion was raised. Despite this dip, the ecosystem remains resilient, with a variety of high-potential startups scaling rapidly and reaching unicorn status—companies valued at over a billion dollars.
The role of Chief Financial Officers (CFOs) in these unicorn companies cannot be understated. These financial leaders are integral to navigating the complex challenges of managing growth, securing investments, and driving financial strategy in an environment that is constantly evolving.
In this feature, we take a closer look at the CFOs who are behind some of Africa’s most successful unicorns, guiding their companies through financial strategy and ensuring they are well-equipped to scale in an increasingly competitive market.
Chinomso Nwachukwu -CFO Interswitch (Nigeria)
Chinomso currently serves as the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for Nigeria, overseeing financial strategies and operations for the company’s flagship operations in the country.
She has a career log of over 13 years of cumulative experience including Finance management with extensive expertise in financial statement audits within the manufacturing and telecommunications industries.
Prior to joining Interswitch in June 2015, she spent over 9 years at Big-4 firms, rising to the position of Manager at PricewaterhouseCoopers Nigeria.
Her professional skills span statutory and regulatory compliance, financial reporting, and accounting in line with GAAP, as well as financial management, business analysis, and financial advisory. Chinomso holds a degree in Biochemistry from Imo State University and is an Associate Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria.
She recently completed the Emerging CFO program at the Stanford Graduate School of Business in San Francisco and is currently pursuing a Global Executive MBA at Imperial College Business School in London.
Omar Elhamawy-CFO MNT-Halan (Egypt)
Omar Elhamawy is a finance professional with over 20 years of experience in corporate finance, investment banking, and financial strategy.
In 2023, he joined MNT-Halan as Chief Financial Officer, bringing his extensive expertise to Egypt’s leading fintech company.
Prior to this, Omar spent nearly a decade as CFO at SODIC, Cairo’s leading property developer-where he drove financial planning, risk management, and investor relations. Thus, contributing to the company’s sustained growth. He also served as Senior Investment Banker at Beltone Financial, managing high-profile investment deals, and as Assistant Manager at CIB Egypt, where he specialized in corporate banking.
Omar is a CFA charter holder and holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from The American University in Cairo. His proven leadership and expertise position him as a key figure in Egypt’s financial and fintech sectors.
MNT-Halan, founded in 2018 by Mountie Nakhla, aims to digitally bank the unbanked and replace cash with electronic solutions. It offers services such as lending, payments, consumer finance, and eCommerce, serving over 5 million clients, disbursing $2.5 billion in loans, and processing over $50 million in monthly sales.
In January 2023, the company secured $400 million, becoming Egypt’s first unicorn and the first African unicorn of the year.
Mitesh Popat-CFO Flutterwave (Nigeria)
Mitesh Popat is the Chief Financial Officer of Flutterwave, a leading African fintech unicorn, a position he has held since June 2024. With over two decades of global financial experience across North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, Mitesh plays a pivotal role in driving Flutterwave’s growth and financial sustainability.
Before joining Flutterwave, he spent 18 years at Citi in various senior roles, including CFO for the Middle East and Africa, CFO for Global Equities Sales and Trading, and Head of Recovery and Resolution Planning for Treasury.
During his tenure at Citi, Mitesh provided financial leadership for businesses generating $5 billion in annual revenue and partnered with CEOs on strategic direction, performance management, and resource optimization.
He was also responsible for executing Citi’s institutional business ventures and designing analytical frameworks for systemic risk management in compliance with U.S. regulatory standards.
Mitesh holds a CFA designation and earned an MS in Civil Engineering from Johns Hopkins University. His early career included consulting banks on asset-liability management at Quantitative Risk Management. A passionate supporter of innovation, Mitesh is also an angel investor in startups across three continents.
Aboubacar Sidiki Kamagaté-CFO Wave (Senegal)
Aboubacar Sidiki Kamagaté is the Head of Finance at Wave Mobile Money, a role he has held since June 2023. Based in Côte d’Ivoire.
Before joining Wave, Aboubacar worked as the Chief Financial Officer for Jumia Côte d’Ivoire from January 2022 to April 2023, where he managed finance operations, cost optimization, cash flow management, and accounting systems integration to improve overall financial performance.
He also served as the Chief Financial Officer for Jumia Sénégal from April 2019 to January 2022, overseeing similar responsibilities while driving cost control, risk management, and system integration across the business.
Earlier in his career, Aboubacar held the position of Accounting Director at Jumia Côte d’Ivoire, where he directed tax, treasury, accounting, and finance-related operations. His expertise also extends to his time as a Finance Manager at FENIE BROSSETTE Côte d’Ivoire. He began auditing with Deloitte and PwC.
Aboubacar holds a Master’s Degree in Corporate Finances and Tax from Université Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdellah-Fès, where he was actively involved in student life as the Deputy President of the Ivorian Students Association.
Wave, a provider of mobile money services, made history in 2021 by becoming the first unicorn from Francophone Africa after securing a $200 million Series A funding round.
Chris Eddy-Senior Vice President, Finance Chipper Cash
Chris Eddy is a seasoned finance leader with over 20 years of hands-on experience in financial management and business operations across multiple industries. He has a proven track record of building finance and accounting teams from the ground up for technology companies, managing up to 50 people in various jurisdictions.
In his role as Senior Vice President of Finance at Chipper Cash, he oversees finance and operations, corporate strategy, planning, and corporate development leadership.
Prior to that, Chris served as a Financial Advisor in a part-time capacity to support the finance function at Chipper Cash.
He also held the position of Principal at Sunset Consulting, providing expert financial consulting services. Chris worked at Osterhout Design Group for over eight years, where he managed corporate finance and corporate secretary responsibilities, including treasury and cash management, equity incentive plans, corporate planning, and investor relations.
As Accounting Manager at Osterhout Design Group, he played a key role in developing accounting systems that supported rapid growth and ensured compliance with GAAP and DCAA regulations. Chris also held the position of Business and Market Development Manager at Mio Gelato, where he helped expand the company’s financial systems and market strategy. He started his career at Leslie Jordan, Inc., where he managed logistics and inventory while using statistical analysis tools to improve demand predictions.
Bayo Olujobi- CFO Moniepoint (Nigeria)
Bayo Olujobi was appointed as the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Moniepoint Microfinance Bank (Moniepoint MFB) in November 2024.
He holds nearly 20 years of experience in the financial sector. Before joining Moniepoint MFB, Bayo served as the CFO of Stanbic IBTC Bank, a member of the Standard Bank Group, where he also held the role of Non-Executive Director at Stanbic IBTC Capital.
His expertise spans financial management, regulatory reporting, compliance, budgeting, capital management, and strategic leadership. Bayo’s leadership has been integral in driving financial performance and operational efficiency at previous organizations, including Asset and Resource Management Company (ARM).
He is a Certified Treasury Professional (CTP), a globally recognized designation in corporate treasury. Bayo holds an MBA from Cranfield School of Management, UK, and a Bachelor of Science in Economics from Lagos State University, where he graduated as the best student in his class.
His exceptional financial leadership has earned him international recognition, including the Financial Services CFO of the Year (West Africa) and Most Innovative Financial Services CFO (Africa) at the Acquisition International Global CFO Excellence Awards in 2021 and 2022.
Anne Bastock-Head of Finance Tyme (South Africa)
Anne Bastock currently serves as the Head of Finance and Company Secretary at Tyme, a multi-country digital banking group focused on emerging markets in Asia and Africa. She has been with the company since August 2018, where she oversees financial management, contract management, and investor relations.
Her career spans a diverse range of roles, showcasing her expertise in financial and risk management, business systems improvements, and organizational change. Prior to her current position, Anne served as an Advisory Board Member for Thomleck Pty Limited, offering guidance on financial and risk management, investment analysis, and strategic planning from June 2015 to June 2017.
Anne has also held the role of Finance Integration Project Manager at Peoplebank Hong Kong, focusing on business system improvements and managing the integration of new systems and processes. Additionally, she was the Chief Financial Officer at Ignite (Clarius Group) from April 2012 to March 2014, responsible for financial operations across several countries, including Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Hong Kong, and China. Her earlier career included roles as Finance Director at CSC Australia.
She holds a Master of Taxation from the University of Sydney and a Bachelor of Economics from Macquarie University.
