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- Says indigenous technologists need support
By Henry Uche
Remita’s Chief Technology Officer, Mujib Ishola, has advocated a purpose-driven collaboration among tech entrepreneurs and enthusiasts, as a key to building a resilient and inclusive digital future and advancing Africa’s digital ecosystem.
At the just concluded Financial Institutions Training Centre (FITC) Fintech Nigeria Technovation Conference in Lagos, the Chief Technology Officer of Remita Payment Services Limited (RPSL), who made a call to action, urged the continent to reclaim ownership of its data narrative and move beyond being passive consumers of foreign technology solutions.
Reiterating Remita’s vanguard role in Nigeria’s digital payment ecosystem and advancing locally driven technology solutions that empower individuals, businesses, governments financial system, he emphasised the urgent need for Africa to take control of its digital destiny. “The narrative of Nigeria, as a consuming nation, is now extending into the digital space. We must reclaim ownership of that narrative and resist perpetuating cycles of technological dependency,” he stated.
With the theme: “Innovation as a Catalyst: Reshaping Cross-Sector Collaboration” the tech expert while highlighting the risk of digital colonisation facing the continentt, he traced Africa’s unique relationship with data back to ancient civilisations, emphasising that the continent has always approached information management through distinct epistemological frameworks.
“Africa has historically recorded and interpreted data through indigenous systems, from hieroglyphics to traditional knowledge preservation methods. These unique frameworks meant something fundamentally different to our societies and should inform our contemporary digital infrastructure,” he explained.
On the critical question of governance and data sharing frameworks, Ishola outlined essential principles that must guide collaborative infrastructure. “Any specification or framework that emerges must address fundamental questions: first; the veracity of shared data, clear ownership protocols, secure storage architectures, and consent-based sharing mechanisms that ensure responsible stewardship of information assets,” he emphasised.
Warning of the escalating risks inherent in data dependency, particularly as artificial intelligence amplifies existing vulnerabilities, Ishola noted: “The most critical risk we face is entrusting our data to external custodians, only to consume derivative insights while paying perpetually for access to our own information capital.”
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Addressing indigenous innovation, he celebrated Remita’s pioneering role in Nigeria’s open banking evolution. “Remita pioneered open banking architecture before the terminology gained international recognition. True innovators and visionaries identify transformative paradigms long before they achieve market maturity or formal nomenclature,” he observed, highlighting how African solutions often emerge from contextual necessity rather than prescribed global frameworks.
According to him, African technology talent remains underrecognised despite driving significant global innovation. “Nigerian and African technologists are foundational contributors to cutting-edge developments across the technology landscape. Our capacity for thriving in challenging environments positions us at the vanguard of technological advancement” he said.
Turning to the panel’s theme of collaboration, he pushed for a fundamental shift from performative rhetoric to substantive partnership. “The term ‘collaboration’ has become somewhat diluted through overuse. What we require is authentic and transparent collaboration that genuinely advances our collective mission rather than serving as corporate theatre,”he advocated.
Highlighting Remita’s commitment to nation-building, the tech enthusiast revealed the company’s philosophy toward national infrastructure development thus: “At Remita, we lead with purpose. For every national project, our priority is to address critical national needs, ensuring that impact takes precedence over short-term gains. Building sustainable value for our country is, and will always remain, our foremost commitment,” he explained.
Summarily, he challenged assumptions about Africa’s position in global technology development. When asked whether Africa could lead in creating trust-driven digital ecosystems, he responded: “The question presupposes Africa is not already leading. We must abandon the narrative of awaiting external salvation. Nigerian software and fintech solutions are world-class. PFS, Interswitch, Remita, and the broader Nigerian fintech ecosystem have made substantive contributions to global technological advancement and financial innovation,” he declared.
His remarks drew attention to Remita’s role in enabling Nigeria’s digital infrastructure and powering collaboration across private, public, and continental boundaries. Through Remita, which integrates payments, collections, and financial intelligence, it will continue to serve as critical infrastructure for the nation’s digital growth.
