By Abubakar Ojima-ojo
Nigerian-founded payments firm targets cross-border trade as Guo Songmei takes regional sales role
Flutterwave has appointed banking executive Guo Songmei to lead its commercial expansion across Greater China and Asia as the Nigerian-founded fintech company seeks to strengthen payment links between Asian businesses and African markets.
The company announced Songmei’s appointment as regional vice-president of sales and partnerships, with the new executive expected to develop payment partnerships and expand cross-border financial services.
She will be based in Shenzhen, China, and Hong Kong.
The appointment comes as Flutterwave marks its 10th anniversary and seeks to capitalise on growing trade between Asia and Africa, where businesses continue to face foreign exchange costs, multiple currency requirements and delays in settling international transactions.
Flutterwave said companies in East Asia processed nearly $1bn in transactions through its platform in the first half of 2025 while serving customers in Africa.
The figure, according to the company, underscores the demand for payment infrastructure that can support trade and simplify transactions between the two regions.
In her new role, Songmei will oversee efforts to expand enterprise payment services, including multi-currency accounts, local payout networks and compliant settlement solutions across more than 30 African markets.
Flutterwave founder and Chief Executive Officer, Olugbenga Agboola, said the appointment would strengthen the company’s efforts to connect international trade with African markets.
The company is seeking to provide payment infrastructure that enables Asian businesses to collect payments, make local disbursements and settle transactions across African countries.
Songmei brings more than 20 years of experience in corporate and commercial banking across Africa, Greater China and Asia.
Her career includes building China-focused banking businesses, developing cross-border financing arrangements and establishing partnerships to support international commerce.
Before joining Flutterwave, she served as executive director for Greater China sales and business development at a Malaysia-based information technology software-as-a-service and payment orchestration company.
In that role, she led market entry initiatives, enterprise merchant acquisition and distribution partnerships with licensed non-bank payment providers.
She also established China Business franchises at Stanbic IBTC and Access Bank in Nigeria, helping facilitate cumulative cross-border transactions approaching $1bn and structuring supply-chain and infrastructure financing.
Her previous experience includes managing Chinese corporate relationships across West Africa for Standard Chartered Bank in Ghana and holding senior corporate banking positions at HSBC in China and OCBC Bank in Malaysia and Singapore.
Songmei said businesses expanding between Asia and Africa needed reliable payment systems that reduced currency-related challenges and made foreign exchange and settlement processes more predictable.
She said she would work with Flutterwave’s global teams and institutional partners to expand enterprise payment services and support cross-border trade.
The appointment follows Flutterwave’s recent appointment of Morounke Olufemi as global chief financial officer, as the company continues to strengthen its executive leadership and operational governance.
Flutterwave operates in 34 African countries and provides payment services for local and international businesses through a single application programming interface.
The company said it had processed more than one billion transactions worth over $50bn.
Its services include card payments, bank transfers, mobile wallets and international transfers through Send App, its remittance product for payments from the diaspora to African countries.
