Event Portfolio
20th – 21st August 2026
Julius Nyerere International Convention Centre (JNICC)
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Supporting Partners
20th – 21st August 2026
Julius Nyerere International Convention Centre (JNICC)
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Supporting Partners
The Fintech Festival Tanzania 2025 focuses on Innovation, Inclusion, Governance, and Advancement, reflecting the transformative nature of f nancial technology in today’s world and exploring how emerging technologies like digital payments, AI, and blockchain are transforming financial services and promoting financial inclusion in East Africa. The event will highlight the latest fintech innovations, regulatory frameworks, and strategies for fostering growth, with a focus on good governance, sustainable solutions, and cybersecurity. The aim is to foster an inclusive, resilient, and sustainable financial ecosystem that drives meaningful change in the industry
| Time | Session Type | Topic | Moderator/Speakers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 08:00–09:45 | Registration | Registration & Networking | |
| 09:45–10:00 | Opening | Fintech Society of Tanzania |
MC: Benjamin Ansah, Founder, CyberBells Foundation Speaker: Deogratius Kilawe, Board Member, Fintech Society of Tanzania |
| 10:00–10:30 | Keynote | Harnessing Technology to Build Africa's Financial Future |
MC: Benjamin Ansah, Founder, CyberBells Foundation Speaker: Guest of Honour |
| 10:30–11:15 | Panel | Embracing Digital Transformation: How Emerging Technologies are reshaping Banking, Financial Services and Investment Practices in Tanzania and East Africa and what the future holds for Fintech Innovation for Financial Inclusion. |
Moderator: Goodhope Heaven-Director, GHC
|
| 11:15-11:35 | Keynote | Building Trust in Mobile Money and Digital Credit for Underserved Populations: Strategies for expanding access to unbanked communities |
Speaker: Evance A. Chipindi Panelist: Zahid Mustafa, CEO, I & M Bank |
| 11:35–11:50 | Talk | Modernize Forever: How NEARSOFT's Digital Channels & MCP Approach Simplify Legacy Replacement | Speaker: Pedro Camacho, CEO, Nearsoft |
| 11:50–12:35 | Roundtable | Central Banks & Fintech Regulation. Balancing Innovation, Governance, and Consumer Protection Regulating digital assets, mobile payments, and taxation. Data privacy and compliance challenges |
Moderator: Sunday Ndamoguoba, Partner at Rive & Co
|
| 12:35–12:45 | Presentation | Enhancing Cross-Border Transactions: Simplifying Pan-African Mobile Payments | Presenter: T-Pesa |
| 12:45–13:00 | Keynote | Financial Inclusion and the Future of Banking Services | Speakers: Assaad Khoury, Software Development Director & Rabih Sassine, Software Development Manager, Arkam Finance |
| 13:00–14:00 | Lunch | LUNCH BREAK | |
| 14:00–14:40 | Panel | Insurtech in East Africa: Innovative insurance solutions powered by fintech. |
Moderator: Lorna Mbwette - Country Director for the United Republic of Tanzania, Women Leadership In Insurance Africa
|
| 14:40–14:55 | Presentation | Human-Centric Banking: Balancing Automation with Financial Literacy. How AI chatbots, robo-advisors, and automated services can coexist with grassroots financial literacy programs to ensure inclusive adoption |
Moderator: Evance Chipindi Speaker: Iddy Mukeshi, Founder & CEO, Superova Group |
| 14:55–15:35 | Panel | Attracting Global Capital for Fintech Innovation in Africa |
Moderator: Goodhope Heaven, Director, GHC
|
| 15:35–16:00 | Masterclass | Cybersecurity in Fintech: Threat Detection, Risk Management & Data Protection | Speaker: Dr. Suchi Nir, Senior Lecturer, Regenesys |
| 16:00–16:15 | Presentation | Agentic AI for Banks, MFIs, Saccos and Insurance | Speaker: Praveen, CEO, Safe Software |
| 16:15–17:00 | Deep Dive | Innovations in Credit Risk Assessment for MFIs & SACCOs |
Moderator: Evance A. Chipindi
|
| 17:00–17:15 | Closing | Closing Remarks | Speaker: Dr. Amina Mnyeke National Ambassador to Tanzania for AOYA-UN, CEO (Tawoyf) |
| Time | Session Type | Topic | Moderator/Speakers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10:30–11:10 | Panel | Omnichannel & Social Commerce: How East African retailers blend online, mobile, in‑store & social‑platform channels to deliver seamless customer journeys |
Moderator: Justine Kenyansa Omare, CEO, Founder & Advisory Consultant - Consular Kenya Ltd
|
| 11:10–11:50 | Panel | Inclusive E‑Commerce for SMEs: Leveraging digital marketplaces, mobile‑money integrations and micro‑credit to onboard women‑led and rural businesses |
Moderator: Bernard Salia, C.E.O and Founder of Bermi Techs
|
| 11:50–12:10 | Keynote | "Resilient Last‑Mile Delivery" Innovations, from crowd‑sourced riders to drones that close the logistics gap in East Africa | Speaker: Rahul Auatde, Manager - Payments Modernization, 3Itek LLC. |
| 12:10–12:50 | Panel | Digital Payments & Wallet Innovation: Emerging payment rails, e‑wallet features, QR adoption and strategies to boost conversion & loyalty |
Moderator: Laison Laiser - Business Development Manager - Orchid Investment Limited
|
| 12:50–13:00 | Closing | Key Takeaways & Next Steps | Speaker: Alexander Maira-Executive Managing Director. A-10 Energy and Real Estate Consultancy Limited. |
| Time | Session Type | Topic | Moderator/Speakers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13:00–13:40 | Fireside Chat | Digital Identity & e‑KYC: Standards & Compliance: Emerging identity frameworks (OpenID, DID), electronic KYC mandates, AML requirements, and balancing trust with UX. |
Moderator: Evance Chipindi (CEVEDE- Community Microfinance Groups Representantive)
|
| 13:40–14:20 | Panel | Biometrics & Privacy by Design: Deploying facial, fingerprint, and behavioral biometrics—ensuring user consent, data minimization, security, and ethical safeguards. |
Moderator: Dr Lesedi Mashumba, Criminologist & CEO, The Citizen Security & Investigations
|
| 14:20–15:00 | Fireside Chat | Self‑Sovereign & Decentralized Identity: Blockchain‑based wallets, verifiable credentials, and the shift toward user‑owned, portable identity ecosystems. |
Moderator: Iddy Mukeshimana, CEO & Digital Tranformation Consultant, Superova Group
|
| 15:00–15:20 | Presentation | Zero‑Trust Identity Architectures: Continuous authentication, risk‑based access control, and adaptive MFA strategies to secure fintech platforms. | Speaker: Zakayo Malisa, Director of Technology, Mixx by Yas |
| 15:20–16:00 | Panel | Inclusive Identity for the Unbanked & Cross‑Border Flows: Offline authentication, agent‑assisted enrollment, and harmonizing identity verification across East African markets. |
Moderator: Bernard Salia, CEO and Founder, Bermi Techs
|
| 16:00–16:10 | Closing | Key Takeaways & Action Plan: Insights and outlines pilot projects, partnerships, and policy recommendations for scalable identity solutions. |
| Time | Session Type | Topic | Moderator/Speakers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 09:30–09:50 | Keynote | Growing role of technologies in financial inclusion, current landscape, challenges and opportunities | Speaker: Ray Youssef, CEO, Noones |
| 09:50–10:20 | Fireside Chat | Governance Challenges in Fintech: Data Privacy, Taxation & Compliance |
Moderator: Dr Lesedi Mashumba, Criminologist & CEO, The Citizen Security & Investigations
|
| 10:20-10:40 | Presentation | Leveraging AI and blockchain for financial security and transparency. | Speaker: Atul Sankar, CEO, Dar Manor |
| 10:40–11:00 | Networking | NETWORKING BREAK | |
| 11:00–11:30 | Masterclass | Innovations in Decentralized Finance (DeFi): Examining the impact of DeFi on traditional financial systems, including key technologies, emerging trends, and opportunities for financial empowerment. | Speaker: Frank Macha, Product Manager: Online & Channels, UBA Tanzania |
| 11:30–11:50 | Presentation | ESG & Sustainable Finance Innovations | |
| 11:50–12:30 | Panel | Combating Fraud in Digital Finance and Blockchain Ecosystems |
Moderator: Dr Lesedi Mashumba, Criminologist & CEO, The Citizen Security & Investigations
|
| 12:30–12:50 | Case Study | Transforming Government Systems with Blockchain | Speaker: David Mlabwa, Operations Officer, AJM Hasamba Company Limited |
| 12:50–13:00 | Pitch | Showcasing Tanzania's rising stars; startups pitch their innovations | Organizer: Fintech Society of Tanzania |
| 13:00–14:00 | Lunch | LUNCH BREAK | |
| 14:00–14:30 | Case Study | Bank of Tanzania's Fintech Sandbox: Lessons on Regulation & Innovation | Speaker: Bank of Tanzania |
| 14:30–15:10 | Panel | Building Fintech Talent & Diversity: Women in Fintech & AI‑Driven Youth Employment |
Moderator: Alfred Tembo, Regional Manager, Africa, GPayments
|
| 15:10–15:40 | Case Study | Building a Cashless Society in Africa: Insights from countries that have successfully adopted cashless solutions. | Speaker: Lukelo Ngajilo, Senior Associate, KPMG |
| 15:40–16:20 | Forum | Bridging Blockchains for Seamless African Trade: Cross-chain platforms enabling East African cross-border payments. |
Moderator: Raiser Olwande - Flick Inc Canada
|
| 16:20–16:50 | Closing | Shaping the Future of Fintech in Tanzania & Beyond: Advancing innovation, inclusion, governance and investment to position Tanzania as a leading FinTech hub in Africa and beyond. | MC: Guest of Honour |
| 19:30–21:30 | Gala | Awards Gala Dinner: Celebrating Excellence in Fintech & Banking Innovation | Organizer: Fintech Society of Tanzania |
| Time | Session Type | Topic | Moderator/Speakers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 09:30–10:00 | Keynote | AI & Machine Learning in Underwriting: How predictive models and data science are transforming risk assessment and pricing. | Speaker: Dr. Dennis Mwaghisa, President, Fintech Society of Tanzania |
| 10:00–10:20 | Presentation | Embedded Insurance & Ecosystems: Integrating protection products into e‑commerce, mobile wallets and platform journeys. | Speaker: Eric Luyangi, CEO, Kimwil Insurance |
| 10:20–11:00 | Panel | Microinsurance & Financial Inclusion: Designing low‑cost, usage‑based products for underserved and rural communities. |
Moderator: Evance Chipindi (CEVEDE- Community Microfinance Groups Representantive)
|
| 11:00–11:30 | Fireside Chat | Blockchain & Smart Contracts for Claims Automation: Leveraging distributed ledgers to speed up payouts and reduce fraud. | Speaker: Ramakrishna Ramadugu Finastra Technologies USA |
| 11:30–11:50 | Presentation | Digital Claims Transformation: From Manual to Moments-Based Experiences: Reimagining the claims journey with automation, customer-first design, and instant decisioning. | Speaker: Nasra Ally Awadhi - COO, ShuleYetu Innovations Ltd |
| 11:50-12:10 | Presentation | Cybersecurity, Data Privacy & Regulation. Balancing innovation with consumer protection and resilient platform design. | Speaker: Dorothy Ndazi, Partner, Hilton Law Group |
| 12:10–12:40 | Fireside Chat | Future Trends: IoT, Telematics & On‑Demand Insurance: Using real‑time data to create dynamic, customer‑centric policies. |
|
| 12:40–1:00 | Closing | Key Takeaways & Next Steps | Speaker: Grace Gathuri, Country Manager, Smart Applications Group |
| Time | Session Type | Topic | Moderator/Speakers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14:00–14:30 | Keynote | AI & Predictive Analytics in Fintech Marketing: Forecasting customer behavior, optimizing campaigns, and personalizing journeys for maximum impact. |
Moderator: Angel Mwolekas
|
| 14:30–15:10 | Panel | Omni‑Channel & Social Commerce Strategies: Integrating web, mobile, in‑app and social touchpoints (WhatsApp, Instagram, TikTok) for seamless engagement. |
Moderator: Angel Mwolekas
|
| 15:10–15:50 | Fireside Chat | Inclusive Marketing for Cross‑Border E‑Commerce: Overcoming regulatory, payment and cultural barriers to scale fintech products across East Africa. |
Moderator: Itale Francis, Brand and Marketing Manager Cash Me Tanzania
|
| 15:50–16:10 | Presentation | Innovative Payment Solutions for E‑Commerce Growth: QR codes, Buy‑Now‑Pay‑Later and wallet integrations that drive conversion and loyalty. |
Moderator: Angel Mwolekas
|
| 16:10–16:50 | Panel | Measuring Success: Data‑Driven Marketing & Analytics: Attribution models, dashboards and KPIs to track performance and fuel continuous improvement. |
Moderator: Itale Francis, Brand and Marketing Manager Cash Me Tanzania
|
| 16:50–17:00 | Closing | Synthesis of insights & actionable takeaways: Next‑step collaborations between fintech marketers, agencies, and regulators. | Speaker: TMSA |