By Manila Standard
Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC) recently hosted a delegation from MoMo, the digital financial services platform of South Africa-based MTN Group Fintech, for a knowledge-sharing session on the growth of the Philippine fintech ecosystem and the country’s digital transformation journey.
Held at the RCBC Collaboration Hub (CollHub) in the A.T. Yuchengco Centre, the engagement brought together fintech leaders from the Philippines and Africa to exchange insights on financial inclusion, digital payments, interoperability, and fintech innovation.
The MTN delegation, composed of 25 executives and leaders, visited the Philippines to better understand how collaboration among regulators, financial institutions, fintech companies, government agencies, and industry associations has helped accelerate digital finance adoption across the country.
According to Lito Villanueva, executive vice president and chief innovation and inclusion officer of RCBC and founding chairman of FinTech Alliance.PH, discussions focused on the key pillars that have supported the Philippines’ fintech growth, including innovation, interoperability, and cross-sector collaboration.
The exchange was particularly relevant given MTN Group Fintech’s footprint across 16 African markets and MoMo’s more than 70 million active users.
Villanueva noted that both the Philippines and several African markets have experienced similar fintech journeys, evolving from telecom-enabled money transfer services into broader digital financial ecosystems.
“It was a privilege to welcome the leadership team of MTN Group Fintech’s MoMo to RCBC. Their visit reflects the growing recognition of the Philippines as a valuable case study in digital finance, financial inclusion, and fintech collaboration,” Villanueva said.
He added that engagements such as these create opportunities for institutions across regions to learn from one another’s experiences and identify areas for future collaboration.
“While our markets may differ in geography and scale, we share many of the same aspirations such as expanding financial access, accelerating digital adoption, and ensuring that innovation creates meaningful impact for consumers and communities,” he added.
The MTN delegation was led by Herman Bosman, chairman of the MTN Group Fintech Board; Serigne Dioum, group fintech chief executive officer; Adekunle Awobodu, group fintech chief financial officer; Derek Wilcocks, special adviser to the fintech board; Etienne Ardon, executive for remittance and business development and acting head of commercial; and Cedric N’Guessan, executive for payments and e-commerce.
Apart from his leadership roles at RCBC and FinTech Alliance.PH, Villanueva also serves as a co-founder and global ambassador of the Asia Fintech Alliance and the founding chairman of the South Africa-based Alliance of Digital Finance and Fintech Associations, helping promote collaboration among fintech ecosystems across regions.
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