At the 2026 World Economic Forum, Flutterwave’s Founder and CEO, Olugbenga “GB” Agboola, emphasized the crucial role of stablecoins and open banking in driving growth across the Middle East and Africa. Speaking at Semafor’s Next 3 Billion event in Davos, Agboola highlighted the need for infrastructure that enables productivity at scale, allowing the region to outperform global peers in a projected 3.1 percent growth economy.
The Middle East and Africa face a dual challenge and opportunity, with the region’s participation in the global economy depending on its ability to build infrastructure that drives productivity and delivers value. Agboola stressed the importance of reducing friction in financial transactions and enabling seamless access to reliable data, positioning these elements as critical enablers for the region’s growth.
Agboola defined stablecoins and open banking as the essential “operating system” for the next decade of growth, citing their potential to transform cross-border trade and enable instant settlement. He noted that Flutterwave’s recent acquisition of Mono, a leading open banking platform, provides a foundational data layer for this new operating system, allowing lenders to make better decisions and businesses to build more tailored products.
By leveraging stablecoins and open banking, Flutterwave aims to empower enterprise merchants and small businesses, the backbone of Africa’s economy, to operate more efficiently. This, in turn, creates new opportunities for businesses, individuals, and partners, ensuring the region can harness the benefits of new economic realities and integrate into the global economy.
Agboola’s engagement at Davos aligns with Flutterwave’s focus on technical excellence as a driver of long-term economic output. By investing in modern rails that cut settlement times and verify identity instantly, the company seeks to drive growth and inclusion across the region. As the Middle East and Africa continue to navigate the complexities of a rapidly evolving global economy, the adoption of stablecoins and open banking is likely to play a significant role in shaping the region’s economic future.
