Flutterwave and Polygon Join Forces to Bridge Africa’s Payment Divide and Boost Economic Participation

In a bid to boost the efficiency of cross-border payments, Flutterwave—Africa’s top fintech company valued at $31 billion—has revealed a new collaboration with Polygon, a blockchain infrastructure provider. This partnership is designed to simplify international transactions throughout Africa by utilizing Polygon’s scalable blockchain technology. The goal is to lower transaction fees, speed up processing times, and broaden access to digital financial tools for both businesses and individuals in a region long challenged by disjointed payment systems and steep remittance charges.

This alliance supports Flutterwave’s overarching vision to make financial services more accessible by tackling infrastructure shortcomings in Africa’s payments landscape. By adopting Polygon’s Layer 2 scaling solutions, Flutterwave can deliver quicker and more affordable cross-border payments, sidestepping conventional banking channels that typically slow down settlements and increase expenses. This is especially vital for SMEs and individuals who depend on remittances, which, according to

, reached $120 billion in fuel imports for Africa in 2024, as stated by Nigeria’s Minister of State for Petroleum Resources.

This initiative also mirrors the rising adoption of blockchain in African fintech, where stablecoins and decentralized platforms are increasingly used to enable fast, low-cost money transfers. For example,

for 2025, fueled by the widespread use of its stablecoin in cross-border payments, while startups such as to promote dollar stablecoin usage in developing markets. By teaming up with Polygon, Flutterwave is well-placed to ride this wave, offering a hybrid approach that merges blockchain’s speed with the extensive reach of traditional banks.

Polygon’s contribution to the partnership goes beyond just technology. Its emphasis on interoperability and regulatory compliance will assist Flutterwave in navigating the complex regulatory landscape across African countries, where inconsistent policies have often made cross-border payments difficult. This is particularly relevant as South Africa has recently introduced a

to foster SME development through financial inclusion, highlighting the continent’s demand for innovative payment methods.

The partnership is set to deliver immediate advantages for users in Sub-Saharan Africa, where

in collaboration with TransferTo. By incorporating Polygon’s technology, Flutterwave can further cut down on transaction delays and expenses, making instant payments possible for both companies and individuals. For example, the Dangote Refinery in Nigeria has already shown how efficient fuel distribution can reduce gasoline imports from 500,000 barrels per day in 2023 to 88,000 in early 2025—a model Flutterwave hopes to emulate in digital payments.

Olugbenga Agbaje, CEO of Flutterwave, highlighted the partnership’s transformative impact: “By merging Polygon’s blockchain capabilities with our in-depth knowledge of Africa’s financial sector, we’re not just enhancing transactions—we’re laying the groundwork for economic empowerment. Our aim is to equip African businesses with the resources to compete on a global scale.”

Ryan Selkis, CEO of Polygon, commented: “Africa’s digital economy is on the verge of significant growth. Together with Flutterwave, we’re building a robust, scalable infrastructure tailored to the continent’s unique requirements while meeting international standards.”

As this partnership develops, it will attract close attention from regulators and industry stakeholders, including Inteleos, which has expanded its Nairobi office to advance healthcare certification in East Africa—demonstrating the region’s increasing interest in tech-driven solutions. For now, the collaboration between Flutterwave and Polygon marks a major milestone in Africa’s progress toward a more integrated and inclusive financial system.

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