Walter Akpani

Walter Akpani leads Providus Bank, an institution that has become one of the most important pieces of Nigeria's fintech plumbing. While consumer-facing startups receive most of the attention, businesses moving billions through Nigeria's digital economy still need regulated accounts, settlement infrastructure, treasury services and a bank capable of supporting high-growth technology companies. Providus has built a significant franchise by serving precisely that ecosystem. Akpani belongs on the Borderless 100 because borderless finance is ultimately built on layers of infrastructure that consumers rarely see. Someone has to hold the accounts, move the settlement funds and provide the regulated banking backbone and Providus has made that role a competitive advantage.