Ogechi Okwechime is a seasoned FinTech strategist and Divisional Head of Growth Marketing (Enterprise) at Interswitch, with over 15 years of experience driving digital transformation across Africa. She is known for bridging technical innovation and commercial strategy, translating complex enterprise infrastructure into scalable market solutions. In her role, she leads the positioning of critical offerings such as real-time payments and fraud prevention systems. A major career highlight was her contribution to Verve’s evolution from a local card scheme into a pan-African, borderless solution operating in over 22 countries and enabling global online commerce. Previously, she launched digital loan products for 50,000 borrowers at Access Bank and scaled Fidelity Bank’s Instant Banking service to over 600,000 users. A CPM and MCP holder with a Master’s in Digital Marketing, she drives inclusive growth through execution-focused leadership. In this interview with CHISOM MICHAEL, she discusses growth through systems thinking, the central role of fraud and security in fintech adoption, and how invisible infrastructure becomes meaningful when it unlocks real economic value.
Your career has moved across fraud analysis, product management, marketing, and enterprise growth. How has working across these functions shaped the way you make decisions today?
It stopped me from thinking in silos. Today, I don’t just look at a “growth” plan and see numbers; I see the potential fraud gaps and the marketing story behind it. It’s made me a more balanced leader because I’ve sat in all those seats – I know where the friction usually starts.
Fraud, trust, and scale are central to fintech adoption in Africa. From your experience, where do most organisations still misunderstand the user’s concern?
We often get obsessed with tech “features” while the user is just worried about their “future.” In Africa, trust isn’t built with a fancy UI; it’s built when a transaction fails, and the user gets an immediate alert or a clear path to a resolution. People don’t just want a digital wallet; they want peace of mind.
You were involved in expanding Verve card acceptance to over 22 African countries. What was the most complex non-technical challenge in aligning so many markets and partners?
It was the “people” part of the puzzle. Technical integration is easy compared to getting 22 different countries to trust a Pan-African brand over a global one. It took a lot of listening, a lot of presence on the ground, and proving that we weren’t there to take over, but to build something that belonged to all of us.
When building products for emerging economies, how do you balance global standards with local realities without weakening either?
I keep the “engine” global and the “driver’s seat” local. You don’t compromise on security – that’s non-negotiable worldwide. But you have to design for the guy on the street who might have a weak data connection or prefers an agent to an app. If the tech is world-class but the experience doesn’t fit the culture, it won’t scale.
You have led both product development and go-to-market strategy. Where do you believe friction most often arises between these two teams, and how can it be resolved?
Usually, it’s because Product is building for “perfection” while GTM is selling for “now.” I resolve this by making sure they talk to each other before the build starts. When Product understands the customer’s pain and GTM understands the technical “why,” they stop pointing fingers and start solving problems together.
Digital lending has grown rapidly, but it has also faced trust and sustainability concerns. What principles guided your approach when launching loan products at scale?
For me, it’s always Integrity over Volume. It’s easy to give out money; the hard part is doing it in a way that doesn’t trap the user in debt. We focused on building products that actually helped people grow, backed by data that ensured we and they could sustain it long-term.
Enterprise fintech solutions often operate behind the scenes. How do you tell stories that make invisible infrastructure meaningful to decision-makers?
I don’t talk about APIs or servers; I talk about the “unlock.” I show them how this “invisible” layer is the only reason their customers can pay in seconds. If you can show a leader how infrastructure turns a “no” into a “yes” for their business, they’ll value it every time.
In your current role, you oversee growth for fraud, security, payments, and cross-border platforms. How do you prioritise focus in such a broad portfolio?
I go where the impact is highest. Fraud and Security always come first because they are the foundation- if the house isn’t safe, it doesn’t matter how nice the furniture is. After that, I focus on the platforms that have the most “legs” to grow across borders.
Payments across Africa remain fragmented. What structural shifts do you believe are necessary to move from interoperability discussions to real execution?
We have to stop talking and start collaborating. Interoperability isn’t a tech problem anymore; it’s an ego problem. We need a shift where we realise that a bigger, connected pie is better for everyone than a small, isolated slice.
You have worked on products that serve both institutions and end users. How does empathy differ when the customer is a business rather than an individual?
With an individual (B2C), empathy is about making their life easier. With a business (B2B), empathy is about making them look good and stay profitable. When you realise that a business owner’s livelihood depends on your platform working at 2:00 AM, your approach to service changes completely.
Recognition often follows impact. How do you measure success internally when external validation is not immediate?
I look at the “small wins” inside the building. Is my team more confident? Are we catching errors faster than we did six months ago? If the internal culture is solid and the product is actually solving a problem, the awards and recognition will eventually catch up.
Looking ahead, what responsibility do senior leaders in African fintech have in shaping systems that outlast their own tenure?
Our job is to leave the door open for those coming behind us. We’re not just building companies; we’re building the ecosystem. My goal is to create systems and a culture that are so robust they don’t need me there to keep thriving ten years from now.
