Fidelis Chiwara, Global Expansions and Payment Partnerships Lead for Southern Africa at Flutterwave, joined business leaders and investors at the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) for the Africa Tech 50 (AT50) Market Open panel discussion on the future of Africa’s leading private companies.

Speaking during the session, titled “Africa’s Leading Private Companies: What Comes Next?” Chiwara noted that the conversation around African technology has evolved beyond whether companies can scale to how they can build institutions that endure. He highlighted Flutterwave’s growth across more than 30 African markets and its role in powering commerce across the continent.

Chiwara also emphasised that long-term growth requires more than revenue. He pointed to the importance of governance, regulatory compliance, strong partnerships, and the systems needed to support businesses operating across multiple markets.

Beyond growth and expansion, Chiwara stressed that Africa’s long-term opportunity lies in creating stronger connections between markets. He noted that businesses increasingly need infrastructure that allows them to sell, receive payments, and operate across borders without having to rebuild their systems in every country, adding that greater transparency and collaboration across the ecosystem will be critical to supporting Africa’s next generation of globally competitive companies

Looking ahead, he reaffirmed Flutterwave’s ambition to expand beyond payments and continue building the financial infrastructure that enables businesses to grow across Africa. He also called for deeper collaboration between technology companies, financial institutions, and investors to support the next generation of African businesses.