Flutterwave has appointed Morounke Olufemi as its new Global Chief Financial Officer, placing a seasoned financial-services executive at the centre of the African fintech’s next phase of international growth. Olufemi succeeds Mitesh Popat, who is stepping down after two years in the role to pursue a new venture.
The appointment, announced on September 22, 2026, represents an internal leadership transition rather than a major change in Flutterwave’s financial direction. Olufemi has been with the company since June 2025, when she joined as CFO for Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA). In that position, she oversaw financial operations across more than 30 countries and worked closely with Popat on the company’s financial strategy.
Olufemi brings more than 24 years of experience spanning banking, corporate finance, strategy and multinational financial management. Before joining Flutterwave, she served as Group Chief Financial Officer at Access Holdings Plc, where she was involved in several significant capital and corporate transactions.
During her tenure at Access Holdings, Olufemi played a role in raising $300 million in Additional Tier 1 capital in 2023. She also participated in a major rights issuance programme in 2024 aimed at supporting bank recapitalisation requirements and was involved in complex mergers and acquisitions in Nigeria’s pensions industry.
Her career also includes experience across different parts of financial services, including banking, insurance, payments, investment banking and asset management. She began her career with Lehman Brothers Investment Bank Europe and later held finance leadership positions at organisations including AXA XL and Old Mutual. She holds an MBA in Finance from Durham University Business School and is a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants.
At Flutterwave, Olufemi will oversee the company’s global finance function as it continues expanding its payments and broader financial-services infrastructure. The company says its strategic priorities, capital allocation framework and long-term financial goals remain unchanged following the leadership transition.
Olufemi has outlined capital discipline, margin growth and sustainable profitability as key areas of focus in her new role. She also highlighted the importance of giving global finance leaders greater control over working capital, alongside access to multi-currency liquidity and stablecoin settlement.
The transition comes as Flutterwave continues to broaden its role in cross-border payments and financial infrastructure connecting African businesses and consumers to international markets. Its recent strategic moves include investments in financial infrastructure and the acquisition of open-banking company Mono.
For Flutterwave, Olufemi’s promotion also highlights the company’s approach to developing leadership internally. Having already worked within its EMEA finance operation, she enters the global position with knowledge of the company’s existing financial strategy and international operations.
Her appointment therefore marks a new chapter for Flutterwave’s finance function while maintaining continuity in its broader strategy: scaling its payments infrastructure, strengthening financial discipline and building toward sustainable growth across African and global markets.
Leave a Reply