Recognising that every successful digital payment depends on the expertise of operations professionals working behind the scenes, Interswitch, one of Africa’s leading integrated payments and digital commerce companies, recently hosted the inaugural edition of Core by Interswitch on Thursday, 23rd July 2026. The first-of-its-kind breakfast forum was designed to celebrate these professionals, foster industry collaboration and strengthen the operational excellence that drives seamless digital payment experiences.
Held at the Landmark Event Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos, the forum brought together more than 400 participants, including operations professionals and other stakeholders from microfinance banks, commercial banks, fintechs, Interswitch employees and other organisations across the financial services ecosystem.
Through expert presentations, panel discussions and networking sessions, participants explored practical ways to strengthen collaboration, address operational challenges and enhance service delivery across the payments ecosystem.
Designed to bridge the gap between the customer-facing experience and the operations that power every successful transaction, Core by Interswitch created a platform for meaningful conversations around dispute management, settlement and reconciliation, customer support, customer experience, third-party processing and FEP administration/monitoring. The discussions reinforced the critical role these functions play in ensuring secure, seamless and reliable digital payment experiences.
Speaking at the event, Babafemi Ogungbamila, Executive Vice President, Operations and Technology, Interswitch, said the forum reflects the company’s belief that exceptional customer experiences are built not only on innovative technology but also on the expertise, collaboration and commitment of the professionals who keep payment systems running every day.
“Every successful digital transaction is powered by professionals whose work often goes unseen but is fundamental to building trust in digital payments. Core by Interswitch was created to recognise their contribution, strengthen collaboration across the industry and create opportunities for shared learning that ultimately benefit financial institutions and the customers they serve. As digital payments continue to evolve, investing in the people and processes that power the technology is just as important as investing in the technology itself,” Ogungbamila said.
Participants also highlighted the growing importance of operational excellence in sustaining resilient payment infrastructure and meeting rising customer expectations. As digital financial services continue to expand across Africa, closer collaboration among financial institutions, fintechs and payment service providers will be essential to improving responsiveness, resolving operational challenges more effectively and delivering consistently reliable customer experiences.
Beyond recognising the professionals whose work often goes unnoticed, the inaugural forum underscored the value of creating stronger connections across the payments ecosystem. By creating a dedicated platform for knowledge sharing, collaboration and professional development, Core by Interswitch aims to build a more connected community of payments operations professionals equipped to respond to the evolving demands of the digital economy.
The inaugural edition of Core by Interswitch reflects the company’s broader commitment to strengthening Africa’s digital payments ecosystem by fostering collaboration, knowledge sharing and operational excellence across the financial services value chain. While technology remains central to financial innovation, its success ultimately depends on the people, processes and partnerships that ensure every transaction is secure, seamless and reliable.
As the payments landscape continues to evolve, initiatives such as Core by Interswitch will play an increasingly important role in equipping payments operations professionals with the insights, relationships and shared expertise needed to support a more resilient, collaborative and customer-focused digital payments ecosystem across Africa.
L-R; Olatunde Daranijo, Head, Product Development and Innovation, KPMG; Ekeoma Chidi‑Ugorji, Head, Operations, NIBSS; with some Senior Leadership members at Interswitch, Oremeyi Akah, Chief Customer Experience Officer; Akeem Lawal, MD, Payment Switching & Processing; Titilola Shogaolu, SVP, Business Operations, Commercial Inclusion; and Babafemi Ogungbamila, EVP, Group Operations & Technology at the Core by Interswitch event held at Landmark Event Centre, Victoria Island, recently.
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