The future of how Africa pays, trades and does business will take centre stage in Lagos this September as the Future of Payment and Commerce Conference (FoPCC) 2026 & Awards convenes leading voices across fintech, financial services, technology, commerce, regulation and enterprise.
The 2026 edition, themed “Beyond the Horizon – The Future of Payment and Commerce,” is scheduled for Thursday, September 24, 2026, at the Oriental Hotel, Lagos, bringing together industry leaders, innovators, entrepreneurs, investors, regulators and emerging technology leaders to examine the forces shaping Africa’s next era of commerce.
FoPCC began in 2023 as the Paycom Conference, with a focus on leveraging contactless payments for financial inclusion. Its evolution has mirrored the transformation of Africa’s payment ecosystem. In 2024, the conversation expanded under the theme “Unlocking the Future of Transactions,” while the 2025 edition elevated the conversation to “Unveiling the Mysteries of Payment and Commerce.” examining the technologies, business models and opportunities redefining financial transactions and commerce. Now, FoPCC 2026 takes the conversation further.
Beyond The Horizon
Africa’s payment story is no longer simply about moving money from one account to another. It is increasingly about the infrastructure, intelligence, identity, platforms and experiences that enable people and businesses to participate in the digital economy. Artificial intelligence, embedded finance, digital identity, real-time payments, open banking, cross-border transactions, agent networks, fintech infrastructure and the increasing digitisation of commerce are creating new possibilities and raising new questions.
Who will build the infrastructure for Africa’s next billion transactions?
How will businesses adapt as payments become increasingly invisible and embedded into everyday experiences?
What will the next generation of financial services look like?
And how can innovation translate into greater inclusion, trust and economic opportunity?
These are among the questions FoPCC 2026 seeks to place at the centre of the industry conversation.
A meeting point for the ecosystem
FoPCC is designed as more than a traditional conference. It is positioned as a meeting point, a platform for the people building, regulating, funding and using the technologies powering modern commerce.
The event will bring together stakeholders across banking, fintech, payments, telecommunications, technology, retail, SME’s, e-commerce, government, academia and enterprise, creating opportunities for dialogue, partnerships, knowledge exchange and business connections.
The 2026 programme will also extend beyond the main conference through initiatives including the FoPCC Campus Tour, designed to connect the industry with Africa’s emerging generation of innovators and technology leaders, as well as engagements that encourage stronger connections between established industry players and the next generation of builders.
Recognising the people moving the industry forward
A major addition to the 2026 edition is the FoPCC Awards, created to recognise outstanding organisations, innovators, executives and ecosystem contributors whose work is driving meaningful progress across payment and commerce.
The awards will spotlight innovation, leadership, impact and excellence across a sector that continues to evolve at remarkable speed.
For an industry often measured by transaction volumes, processing speeds and technological milestones, the awards provide an opportunity to also recognise the people and organisations behind the progress.
Why FoPCC 2026 matters now
Nigeria remains one of Africa’s most dynamic markets for digital payments and financial technology, while the wider continent continues to develop new approaches to digital finance and commerce.
The next phase, however, will demand more than technological adoption. It willrequire collaboration between regulators and innovators, stronger infrastructure, greater trust, sustainable business models and a deeper understanding of the consumer.
That is the conversation FoPCC 2026 is bringing to Lagos.
Beyond the horizon is not simply a destination. It is a question of what we are willing to build before we get there.
FoPCC 2026 invites the ecosystem to look beyond today’s transactions, but imagine and build the future of payment and commerce.
Future of Payment and Commerce Conference 2026 & Awards
Theme: Beyond the Horizon – The Future of Payment and Commerce
Date: Thursday, September 24, 2026
Venue: Oriental Hotel, Lagos
Location: Victoria Island, Lagos
For media, partnership and participation enquiries, please contact the FoPCC team.
Oyin – +234 805 770 2735
Precious – +234 706 109 3238
Email – fopcc2026@lwiit.org Website – fopcc.lwiit.org
About FoPCC
The Future of Payment and Commerce Conference (FoPCC) is an industry platform focused on advancing conversations, connections and opportunities around the future of payments and commerce in Africa. From its origins as the Paycom Conference in 2023, FoPCC has evolved into a platform bringing together stakeholders across financial services, fintech, technology, commerce, regulation and enterprise to explore the innovations shaping the continent’s economic future.
