By Edrisa Ssentongo
The Common Markets for East and Southern Africa (Comesa) Business Council (CBC) and HiPipo have today launched the inaugural Women in FinTech Hackathon for Zambia and Malawi, calling on women innovators to develop solutions that can leverage the market of over 600 million people in the region.
Speaking at the launch of the Hackathon on Tuesday at the Lusaka Legacy Resort in Zambia, CBC Chief Executive Officer Teddy Soobramanien noted that empowering women entrepreneurs creates a ripple effect across the region, as women are more likely to develop solutions that address everyday challenges.
“I would like to appreciate HiPipo from Uganda for this initiative. For now, we are focusing on Zambia and Malawi, but I believe this conversation should extend to the rest of the 21 COMESA countries because what we have already started is bearing fruit,” he said.
“FinTechs need a market for their products, and COMESA has over 600 million people, while Africa has more than 1.2 billion. With the Western world currently facing its own challenges, Africa must take care of itself.
"The women and men of Africa have the potential to develop and stop relying on external factors. This is a very good project aimed at helping women entrepreneurs build financial inclusion and technology.”
According to HiPipo chief executive Innocent Kawooya, the Women in FinTech initiative is part of the HiPipo Include Everyone programme, which is being scaled across the Comesa region in partnership with CBC and with support from the Gates Foundation.
The initiative seeks to bridge the gender gap in Digital Financial Services (DFS), empowering women to become leaders in FinTech innovation, particularly those involved in cross-border trade.
“When we started the Women in FinTech initiative six years ago, it was rare to find women leading FinTech conversations," Kawooya said.
"Today, we have more women holding C-level leadership positions. We believe that leaders are made, and this initiative has nurtured women into becoming leaders, registering organisations that have grown into major corporations and pioneers in innovation.
“This means participants in this Hackathon have an opportunity to be mentored and to become part of the changemakers in the Comesa region.”
HiPipo is a Ugandan digital financial services advocacy organisation that promotes financial inclusion and digital innovation across Africa.
It is known for initiatives like the Include Everyone Programme, which supports FinTech development, especially among women entrepreneurs.
Kawooya said after five successful years in Uganda—where over 500 women have been trained in FinTech ideation, development, and sustainability—the Hackathon is now expanding into the COMESA region.
“This convening ensures that the leaders we envision will emerge from among you. We have the capacity to encourage mobile network operators to integrate your solutions," he said.
"Now, you have connections throughout the Comesa region, provided you have a viable solution. We believe that when we empower women, we build stronger and more inclusive economies for the long term.”
The inaugural Zambia/Malawi cohort has attracted 17 participating teams—six from Malawi and 11 from Zambia—who will undergo hands-on training with Mojaloop Open-Source Software and Level One Project tools, as well as mentorship from industry experts and global facilitators.
At the end of the Hackathon, women innovators will be equipped with essential tools and skills, and winners will receive financial support.
“This all-encompassing approach ensures that every individual, irrespective of gender, can leverage digital financial services to enhance their quality of life,” said Charlottee Neeza, the FinTech events manager at HiPipo.