African payments unicorn Flutterwave has officially announced a leadership transition within its executive suite, naming Morounke Olufemi as its new Global Chief Financial Officer. Olufemi, who joined Flutterwave in June 2025 as CFO for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA), succeeds Mitesh Popat as he steps down to co-found a new enterprise.
The strategic executive appointment was announced jointly from Lagos and San Francisco on September 22, 2026, marking a deliberate focus on long-term capital discipline, sustainable profitability, and institutional governance as the company expands its cross-border infrastructure.
Institutional Banking Expertise and Leadership Track Record
Olufemi brings over 24 years of corporate finance, investment banking, and capital markets experience to the global CFO role. Prior to joining Flutterwave, she served as Group Chief Financial Officer at Access Holdings Plc, one of Africa’s largest financial services conglomerates.
During her tenure at Access Holdings, she spearheaded landmark capital raising and corporate restructuring efforts, including:
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Raising $300 million in Additional Tier 1 capital in 2023.
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Executing a major rights issuance program in 2024 to satisfy the recapitalization directives of the Central Bank of Nigeria.
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Leading strategic M&A transactions that established the second-largest pension fund administrator in Nigeria.
Her broader background includes senior finance roles at global institutions such as Lehman Brothers Investment Bank Europe, AXA XL, and Old Mutual.
Financial Strategy and Multi-Currency Settlement Roadmap
In her role as Global CFO, Olufemi will oversee Flutterwave’s worldwide financial operations, capital allocation, and risk management across more than 30 operating markets. Her mandate prioritizes margin expansion, capital efficiency, and scaling payment rails that combine traditional fiat currencies with digital asset settlement.
Commenting on her appointment, Olufemi stated that Flutterwave will execute its growth strategy with a clear focus on capital discipline, margin growth, and sustainable profitability. She noted that the company remains dedicated to giving global corporate finance teams full control over working capital, multi-currency liquidity management, and stablecoin settlement rails.
Flutterwave Founder and CEO Olugbenga “GB” Agboola noted that Olufemi’s extensive banking background and demonstrated track record during her leadership of the EMEA region make her the right executive to lead the company’s global finance function into its next growth phase.
Leadership Continuity and Wider Ecosystem Engagements
The CFO transition reflects internal succession planning as Flutterwave matures its financial operating infrastructure. The move follows recent platform additions and strategic acquisitions, such as its purchase of open-banking API provider Mono, designed to unify cross-border payments across emerging and global markets.
Separately, the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu, recently appointed Flutterwave CEO Olugbenga Agboola as a National Youth Ambassador of the Nigeria Police Force. In this role, Agboola works alongside law enforcement and community stakeholders to promote legitimate economic pathways, advance digital skills, raise cybersecurity awareness, and direct young Nigerians toward productive tech careers.
