Benjamin Fernandes Wins Africa CEO Disruptor of the Year 2025 at Africa CEO Forum

NALA CEO and founder, Benjamin Fernandes recognized in 2025 as Africa CEO Disruptor of the Year 2025 at the prestigious Africa CEO Forum, held in Sofitel Abidjan Hôtel Ivoire. Selected from over 3,000 companies across the continent, Fernandes emerged as the top choice for his bold leadership, innovative vision, and transformative impact on Africa’s financial technology space.

For those who’ve followed his journey, the win felt deeply earned. Over the years, Fernandes has built more than just a company, he’s built a mission. Through NALA,  a fintech platform that simplifies cross-border payments for Africans both on the continent and in the diaspora, Fernandes has championed a mission to make financial services more accessible, reliable, and affordable. His complementary venture, Rafiki, builds payment infrastructure that connects businesses directly to African financial systems through APIs, powering the backbone of digital finance across borders.

“This is just the beginning.” He said in his acceptance speech. He acknowledged the collective effort of his teams at NALA and Rafiki.

The rigorous selection process for the award assessed candidates on several criteria, including innovation, resilience, revenue growth, funding milestones, social impact, and geographic expansion. NALA’s impressive reach, recent funding achievements, and ongoing commitment to financial inclusion made it a standout among this year’s finalists.

The African entrepreneur transforming cross-border payments, Benjamin Fernande. His journey has been marked by determination, strategic thinking, and a deep belief in Africa’s potential to create world-class solutions from within.

As a Young African CEO making global impact, with this win, Benjamin Fernandes reaffirmed his commitment to building for #TheNextBillion, a phrase that captures both the scale of his ambition and the communities his companies serve.