The inaugural ‘Banking on the Future’ conference, hosted by EFT Corporation at Victoria Falls from May 13 to 15, marked a significant step in redefining the future of digital banking. This event gathered industry leaders and innovators from Africa’s leading banks to explore the latest technologies and the vast potential for growth and innovation in African markets.
Stephen Enderby, CEO of EFTCorp, highlighted the company’s role in pioneering digital transformation within Africa’s banking sector, emphasizing the importance of the conference in continuing this legacy. He noted that bringing together visionary leaders and innovative ideas is key to creating a more dynamic and inclusive financial landscape. The conference’s success reinforces EFTCorp’s mission to revolutionize banking on the continent with solutions that benefit both businesses and customers.
Over three days, the conference focused on crucial areas like actionable strategy, customer centricity, and the impact of AI. Adrian Saville, Professor at the Gordon Institute of Business Science, delivered the keynote address, discussing the need for new models, markets, and mindsets in business and banking in Africa. He emphasized the importance of leadership and multi-skilled teams in forming a successful strategy, highlighting six key success factors: investment, education, healthcare, connectivity, and stable policies.
The event also emphasised the necessity of collaboration among top organizations to build the future of banking and tackle challenges in key African markets. It stressed the importance of fintech companies, traditional banks, and technology firms working together to create integrated solutions that benefit customers and the industry.
The potential of Artificial Intelligence [AI] in banking was a major topic, with Riaan Singh and Mohil Subban from PWC highlighting its transformative potential. They pointed out that AI could help banks scale operations, reduce costs, and develop new business models while improving payment processes.
Carlin Wicomb, Chief Commercial Officer at EFTCorp, stated that ‘Banking on the Future’ has established a new benchmark for fostering industry-wide dialogue and collaboration. He expressed pride in EFTCorp’s role in advancing technology-driven growth and development in Africa’s banking sector and looked forward to future events that continue to drive innovation and transformation.
