Integrated payments and digital commerce company Interswitch has urged governments, investors and development partners to prioritise investment in energy infrastructure, describing reliable electricity as a prerequisite for expanding financial inclusion and sustaining Africa’s digital economy.
The company made the call during the 11th edition of the Nigeria Energy Forum (NEF) 2026 in Lagos, where it highlighted the close relationship between dependable power supply, digital infrastructure and economic participation.
Delivering a keynote address titled “Rewiring Financial Inclusion, Infrastructure & Investments,” the Vice President of Energy Ecosystem at Interswitch, Adeyinka Adekoya, said financial inclusion extends beyond providing access to banking and payment services. Representing the company’s Founder and Group Chief Executive Officer, Mitchell Elegbe, Adekoya argued that meaningful participation in the modern economy depends on the availability of reliable energy.
“Financial inclusion extends beyond providing access to financial services. It is about creating the conditions that enable people and businesses to participate meaningfully in the economy. Energy is one of those critical conditions,” Adekoya said, adding that “energy poverty is financial exclusion in disguise.”
The remarks underscore growing concerns that inadequate electricity infrastructure remains a major constraint on Africa’s digital transformation. While mobile payments, digital banking and fintech services have expanded rapidly across the continent, unreliable power continues to limit the ability of households, merchants and financial institutions to access and deliver these services consistently.
According to Interswitch, electricity is the backbone of the digital infrastructure that supports electronic payments, e-commerce, banking networks and other financial services. Without sustained investment in energy systems, millions of Africans could remain excluded from the formal financial system despite advances in digital technology.
The company said improving energy access would not only strengthen financial inclusion but also stimulate entrepreneurship, increase productivity and enhance economic resilience. Greater investment in power infrastructure could also improve the reliability of payment systems, reduce business disruptions and accelerate the adoption of digital financial services across underserved communities.
For more than two decades, Interswitch has developed payment infrastructure that supports commerce and financial transactions across Africa. The company said it will continue to advocate integrated policy approaches that connect energy, technology and finance to unlock inclusive economic growth.
Its intervention at the Nigeria Energy Forum reflects increasing recognition among industry stakeholders that bridging Africa’s infrastructure gap requires coordinated public and private sector investment, with reliable electricity serving as a foundation for broader digital and economic development.
