The Financial Times and Statista’s Fastest Growing Companies in Africa award named Zone, Africa’s first regulated blockchain network for payments, as the continent’s fastest-growing blockchain company. The business becomes the first blockchain business in Africa and one of the select Nigerian fintechs to be included on the illustrious list.
The ranking, which is done every year, identifies the best companies in Africa’s private sector and honors those that have made significant contributions to their respective industries as well as impressive growth. Zone was chosen as one of only 100 companies, and the first blockchain company on the entire continent, to feature on the list after a rigorous process of reviewing entries from hundreds of African businesses.
The announcement was met with excitement from Obi Emetarom, co-Founder and CEO of Zone, who also said that the group is “deeply honored by this recognition from the Financial Times and Statista.”
He continued by saying that the team will be inspired to work even harder to use blockchain technology to connect all known stores of value. “By fulfilling our mission, we are laying the foundation for a truly cashless world while expanding access to financial services and fostering a more inclusive and prosperous future for the African continent.”
After successfully converting to a payment infrastructure provider in November 2022 from a provider of banking as a service, Zone has had an impressive year.
The business also obtained a payment switching license from the Central Bank of Nigeria, which enabled it to expand its decentralized payment network and link different financial service providers.
Zone is laying the foundation for a world where digital payments are frictionless, cross-border, and compatible with all forms and stores of money by connecting more than 20 of the largest commercial banks, fintechs, and OFIs in Africa to its Layer-1 blockchain network.
Olayiwola Osoba, vice president of marketing at Zone, expressed his excitement about the recognition, saying, “Being named one of Africa’s Fastest Growing Companies by the Financial Times and Statista is quite exciting for us at Zone. This recognition is an indication of our team’s immense effort to transform Africa’s payment landscape using an innovative architecture and a superior tech stack.”
The Zone payment network is the first decentralized payment network in Africa. It fully automates settlement, reconciliation, and dispute management while enabling participating institutions to connect directly with one another and conduct payments without a middleman.
A testament to the company’s commitment to using cutting-edge technology to revolutionize the payment landscape in Africa, according to experts, is Zone’s recognition by the Financial Times and Statista as one of the Fastest Growing Companies in Africa. The company is laying the groundwork for a truly cashless society as it expands its decentralized payment network and links various financial service providers, fostering a more inclusive and prosperous future for the African continent.