She calls fintech in Africa not an industry but humanity in motion. As the newly appointed Co-Chair of the MENA Fintech Association's Africa Chapter, she is building the bridge between two of the world's fastest growing fintech regions. Joining me is Cyrine Sanchou, CEO of TND Consulting and Co-Chair of MFTA Africa. Cyrine, welcome to Wall Street to Mena.
Thank you. I am really pleased to be having this conversation today.
You have called fintech in Africa humanity in motion. What do you actually mean by that?
When it comes to fintech in Africa, it is about very real human needs. Small merchants with the need to get paid. A family receiving money from abroad. An entrepreneur who has never had the opportunity to access credit. These needs are so fundamental that innovation has often moved faster than traditional finance infrastructure because of that. Technology is really here to enable that movement. It is about people moving, trading, sending money, building businesses, creating opportunities. That is my view on why it is really humanity in motion.
What is the biggest difference between launching a bank in the Gulf versus in Africa?
The biggest difference is really the starting point. In the Gulf, it is a mature market — the idea is to do more, in a better way, more seamlessly. In Africa, it is a completely different story. It is to rethink the model entirely. Africa gives you the opportunity to see things from a different perspective because you have so many constraints. But those constraints have fostered innovation in a completely different way. That is why in some countries, mobile money leapfrogged the traditional banking sector completely. That is the main difference between both approaches.
You sit on the board at a leading Tunisian bank. How does that shape how you think about fintech disruption?
My view is completely balanced. It is not banks versus fintechs. Banks bring things that are extremely difficult to replicate — balance sheet, trust, regulatory expertise, risk management, large customer bases. Fintechs bring something equally valuable — speed, a customer-centric approach by design, and the ability to rethink a problem from scratch. The most interesting question is not who will disrupt whom. It is how do we combine these strengths. The winners of tomorrow will probably be those institutions that understand that partnership is not a defensive strategy — it is a growth strategy.
If you had to pick one African market about to have its breakout fintech moment, which would it be?
I would look at Tunisia. Not because it is currently the continent's largest fintech market — it is clearly not. But because of the ingredients. Very strong human capital. Excellent engineering talent. A sophisticated banking sector. Proximity to Europe. Cultural and commercial links with both Africa and the Middle East. And most importantly, a growing entrepreneurial ecosystem. For me, all these ingredients are here to allow Tunisia to have a real breakthrough in the next couple of years. The next African fintech success story may not come from the markets we always think of — it can come from ecosystems where talent and necessity have been ahead of infrastructure. And that is what fintech in Africa is really about.
Thank you so much for being with us today.
Thank you. It is my pleasure.
