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Kemi Manuel
CEO Zest
Kemi Manuel is a trailblazing financial technology leader and corporate executive with over two decades of experience spearheading digital payment transformation and financial inclusion across the African continent.
Kemi Manuel is widely recognized for her ability to build high-growth fintech ecosystems, navigate complex regulatory landscapes, and forge high-impact strategic partnerships.
Currently, Manuel serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Zest Payments Limited, the fintech subsidiary of Stanbic IBTC, where she leads the company’s mission to deliver seamless, next-generation financial infrastructure.
Prior to this role, Manuel was the founding Chief Executive Officer of Hydrogen Payment Services Company Limited, the fintech arm of Access Corporation. Joining at its inception in 2022, she successfully established the company's operating architecture, secured essential Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) licensing, and positioned Hydrogen as a primary engine for frictionless, interoperable payments in Africa. Under her four-year tenure, Hydrogen processed billions in merchant transactions and recorded extraordinary financial milestones, including a 306% year-on-year profit surge in 2025.
Before her impactful stint at Hydrogen, Kemi was the Vice President and General Manager for West Africa at Visa. At Visa, she drove merchant acceptance and digital payment adoption across the sub-region. A champion of localized innovation, she successfully rolled out "Visa on mobile" across Ghana and Nigeria and fostered pivotal institutional collaborations with leading African tech startups, including Paystack and Flutterwave.
Her extensive career also includes serving as the Head of Anglophone Africa for MoneyGram International, where she managed operations, compliance, and growth across major English-speaking African markets.
Kemi is an alumnus of the prestigious Warwick Business School, where she earned her Master of Business Administration (MBA). She remains a vocal advocate for leveraging technology to democratize financial access, empower small businesses, and accelerate Africa’s digital economy.
Kemi Manuel is widely recognized for her ability to build high-growth fintech ecosystems, navigate complex regulatory landscapes, and forge high-impact strategic partnerships.
Currently, Manuel serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Zest Payments Limited, the fintech subsidiary of Stanbic IBTC, where she leads the company’s mission to deliver seamless, next-generation financial infrastructure.
Prior to this role, Manuel was the founding Chief Executive Officer of Hydrogen Payment Services Company Limited, the fintech arm of Access Corporation. Joining at its inception in 2022, she successfully established the company's operating architecture, secured essential Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) licensing, and positioned Hydrogen as a primary engine for frictionless, interoperable payments in Africa. Under her four-year tenure, Hydrogen processed billions in merchant transactions and recorded extraordinary financial milestones, including a 306% year-on-year profit surge in 2025.
Before her impactful stint at Hydrogen, Kemi was the Vice President and General Manager for West Africa at Visa. At Visa, she drove merchant acceptance and digital payment adoption across the sub-region. A champion of localized innovation, she successfully rolled out "Visa on mobile" across Ghana and Nigeria and fostered pivotal institutional collaborations with leading African tech startups, including Paystack and Flutterwave.
Her extensive career also includes serving as the Head of Anglophone Africa for MoneyGram International, where she managed operations, compliance, and growth across major English-speaking African markets.
Kemi is an alumnus of the prestigious Warwick Business School, where she earned her Master of Business Administration (MBA). She remains a vocal advocate for leveraging technology to democratize financial access, empower small businesses, and accelerate Africa’s digital economy.