Two of Sierra Leone’s leading fintech innovators have made their mark by advancing to the semi-finals in the prestigious EcoBank International Fintech Challenge 2024. They are among 40 fintech companies from across Africa that reached this critical stage of the competition.
However, despite their impressive achievements, the two Sierra Leonean innovators did not advance to the final round, which will take place in September in Togo. The announcement of the finalists was made on Wednesday. August 14, 2024, during a live-streamed event in Nigeria. Engineer Sorieba Daffae, Esq., CEO of ‘Monime,’ is one of the semi-finalists. Daffae developed an application that allows users to collect payments from any mobile money platform, a significant innovation in the rapidly growing fintech landscape. The other semi-finalist is Salton Massally, CEO of MiKash Boks’ who has revolutionized traditional savings by digitizing the process and connecting users with financial institutions through an app.
“Mi Kashbox is a pathway to financial inclusion. We are transforming mobile phones into bank branches,” Massally explained. Although they did not reach the final, both innovators remain optimistic and determined, emphasizing their commitment to resilience and continued innovation. Winston Williams, Executive Director and Head of Corporate Banking at EcoBank Sierra Leone highlighted the importance of the EcoBank Fintech Challenge as a Pan-African initiative aimed at supporting startups with innovative solutions that address the needs of Africa and its diaspora.
According to Williams, the challenge seeks to identify fintech startups ready to scale by providing them with resources, funding, and partnerships across EcoBank’s 35 affiliate markets. By nurturing these fintech success stories, the challenge contributes to Africa’s financial integration and economic development.
