How Sebaga Manyeula is reshaping Africa's crypto landscape
Interview
Sebaga Manyeula is a recognised Key Opinion Leader in Africa’s fintech and digital assets space.
Image: Supplied
IN A rapidly evolving digital economy, women are stepping into roles that are redefining finance across the African continent.
The Sunday Independent speaks to Sebaga Manyeula — fintech chief executive, regulated executive, and approved Key Individual — about navigating the crypto space in Africa while positioning it for global relevance.
Sunday Independent: You operate in a highly technical and regulated environment. How did your journey into crypto begin?
Sebaga Manyeula: My entry into crypto was never about trend participation — it was about structural opportunity. Africa faces systemic financial gaps: limited cross-border liquidity, currency volatility, and restricted access to global capital markets.
Blockchain technology presented itself not just as innovation, but as infrastructure. I saw an opportunity to operate at the intersection of compliance, governance, and digital assets — ensuring that Africa’s participation in crypto would be structured, credible, and globally aligned.
SI: When you speak about navigating Africa with a global lens, what does that mean in practical terms?
SM: It means building African platforms that meet international standards from day one.Markets such as Nigeria, South Africa, and Kenya have demonstrated significant crypto adoption. But adoption alone is not enough.
We must design compliant exchanges, tokenisation frameworks, custody solutions, and governance models that can integrate seamlessly with global financial systems.
A global lens means understanding FATF guidance, regulatory arbitrage risks, investor protection frameworks, and institutional capital expectations — and then building African solutions that align with those standards.
SI: As a woman in this space, what realities have shaped your leadership?
SM: The crypto and fintech sectors remain male-dominated, particularly at capital allocation and regulatory advisory levels. But I have found that technical depth and regulatory expertise command respect.
In South Africa, the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) formally recognised crypto assets as financial products. That regulatory shift changed the conversation. It signalled that digital assets are not fringe instruments — they are part of the formal financial ecosystem.
As women, we must position ourselves where policy meets innovation. That is where real influence sits.
SI: You are also an advocate for tokenisation. Why is that significant for Africa?
SM: Tokenisation is Africa’s global bridge.
Through blockchain, real estate, commodities, and alternative assets can be fractionalised and accessed beyond geographic limitations. This enables African projects to tap into international liquidity while maintaining compliance structures locally.
For women entrepreneurs, tokenisation can unlock capital pathways that traditional banking systems often restrict. It shifts the power dynamic around funding access.
SI: What are the biggest challenges facing Africa’s crypto ecosystem today?
SM: The main challenges are:
- Regulatory fragmentation across jurisdictions
- Limited institutional infrastructure
- Access to compliant banking relationships
- Gender disparities in venture funding
However, Africa has one major advantage: agility. Unlike mature markets burdened by legacy systems, many African markets can leapfrog into blockchain-based infrastructure more efficiently.
SI: Where do you see Africa’s position in the global crypto economy over the next decade?
SM: Africa will not simply be a high-adoption region — it will become a structured participant in global digital finance.
As regulatory clarity increases across key markets and institutional frameworks strengthen, African digital asset businesses will collaborate more directly with international capital markets.
The opportunity is not just participation — it is leadership.
SI: Finally, what does navigating this space as a woman mean to you personally?
SM: It means responsibility. Responsibility to build credibility, to mentor emerging women in fintech and ensure Africa’s digital transformation is not extractive but empowering.
Navigating the crypto space in Africa with a global lens is not simply about technology. It is about positioning the continent — and women within it — as serious architects of the future financial system.
* Sebaga Manyeula is a recognised Key Opinion Leader in Africa’s fintech and digital assets space. A passionate advocate for financial inclusion, she is also the founding patron of the Give to Live Foundation, which supports abused women and children across Africa.
** The views expressed here do not reflect those of the Sunday Independent, IOL, or Independent Media.