From Diaspora Dreams to The Path to Digital Dominance: Bonface Ombui Shares The Choice Bank Story | #Alitalkstech S3 ep 9
Description
In this episode of #AliTalksTech, Ali Hussein sits down with Bonface Ombui, CEO of Choice Bank 💡 to unpack one of the most fascinating transformation stories in African fintech 🌍. From its humble beginnings as a diaspora-backed microfinance institution in Rongai 🏘️ to its rebirth as a fully digital, tech-native bank 💻🏦, Choice Bank’s journey is a case study in resilience, innovation, and bold vision 🚀.
Bonface shares how the bank ripped apart its legacy systems to build Seagull, a custom core banking platform ⚙️ powering its Banking-as-a-Service model 🔌, which today drives 90% of new customers 👥 and 60% of deposits 💰. We dive into how Choice is tackling regulatory hurdles 📜, pioneering cross-border payments that settle in minutes ⏱️🌐, and building forex 💱 and lending solutions 💳 that compete with global platforms while staying rooted in local realities.
This is more than a banking story, it’s a look into how African fintechs are rewriting the rules ✍🏾, shaping the future of financial inclusion 🤝, and proving that local innovation can rival global giants 🌟.
🎧 Tune in to learn how Choice Bank is scaling, partnering, and daring to imagine a new future for digital finance in Africa.







