Afrigather Woven Finance, the fintech startup based by Trium, a enterprise group by Coronation Group, is discontinuing its service, in response to an electronic mail shared with clients on Wednesday morning.
The fintech, which was absolutely licensed by the Central Financial institution of Nigeria (CBN) in 2022, and has a Cost Options Service Supplier (PSSP) licence, will switch its companies to Hydrogen, a fintech firm owned and run by Entry Financial institution. Turning into a part of Hydrogen will assist Entry Financial institution compete with GTCO’s fintech, Squad. Kemi Okusanya, a former Basic Supervisor at Visa West Africa, leads hydrogen.
“After an intensive evaluation of the present market dynamics and their impression on our enterprise mannequin, Woven Finance has resolved to stop its cost companies operations within the first quarter of 2024,” Woven Finance stated in an electronic mail to clients.
Woven Finance Origin story
Woven Finance, which got down to “demystify digital payments,
” was based in 2020 by Adedeji Olowe. It offered itself to enterprise house owners by providing a digital account with which they may acquire funds, eliminating widespread issues like reconciliation and settlements.
The corporate’s founder, Olowe, additionally ran Trium, the know-how enterprise fund for the Coronation Group. The Coronation Group, which incorporates corporations like Coronation Service provider Financial institution and Coronation Insurance coverage (previously WAPIC), turned a part of Entry Financial institution after the acquisition of Intercontinental Financial institution.
However in 2011, a directive from the Central Financial institution of Nigeria (CBN) compelled banks to divest their non-banking companies or restructure into holding corporations. On the time, Entry Financial institution–which adopted a holding firm construction in 2022–selected to spin off the Coronation Group.
Whereas it stays unclear the precise dynamics that led Woven Finance to discontinue operations, one principle is that growing competitors from established fintechs and different bank-led fintechs like Squad, Zest and Hydrogen could have prompted the choice.
*This can be a creating story
