Doreen Lukandwa: Building a Borderless and Inclusive Future for Digital Finance
A Fintech Africa x FinHer Spotlight
Across Africa, sending money from one country to another can still be complicated, expensive and inaccessible. Different payment systems, currencies, regulations and financial networks often operate in isolation, creating barriers for individuals, families and businesses.
Doreen Lukandwa has spent much of her career helping to break down those barriers.
A distinguished leader in Digital Financial Services, Doreen has worked across more than 15 markets in Africa and beyond. Her experience spans public- and private-sector organisations, where she has contributed to the development, adoption, governance and scaling of innovative digital financial technologies.
Her work is driven by one central belief: financial infrastructure should connect people to opportunities, regardless of their location, income level or preferred financial channel.
Today, Doreen serves as Head of Commercial Strategy at Onafriq, where she leads the commercial growth strategy and execution of the company’s channel- and sector-agnostic B2B digital payment services within the Group Commercial Office.
Through this role, she is helping to shape how payments move across African borders, supporting Onafriq’s mission to make borders matter less.
Turning Borders into Gateways
For Doreen, the fragmentation within Africa’s payment landscape is not simply a technical challenge. It has real consequences for the choices available to people and businesses.
“Africa’s payments landscape is still fragmented, and that fragmentation isn’t just technical,” she explains. “It limits the choices and access to opportunities for so many individuals and businesses across the continent.”
This reality continues to motivate her work.
“What keeps me motivated is leveraging innovative digital solutions to turn ‘cross-border’ from a barrier into a gateway to bespoke solutions and possibilities for generations to come.”
At Onafriq, Doreen is part of a diverse team working to facilitate cross-border payments through an interoperable, omni-channel and multi-currency payments hub. The platform provides a single point of connection to thousands of payment corridors, mobile wallets, banks, cards and agent networks across more than 40 African countries.
Behind these numbers are people whose lives are directly affected by every successful transaction.
It could be a parent in Benin receiving emergency funds from a child living in Europe. It could be refugees in Uganda receiving humanitarian support when they need it most. It could be a business owner in Ghana sending money to family members in Nigeria, or a Kenyan company expanding into new markets without rebuilding its payment infrastructure from the ground up.
For Doreen, these everyday stories make the work deeply personal.
“This is the kind of legacy I am proud to contribute to: facilitating sustainable economic growth and empowerment across Africa.”
A Career Defined by Transformational Milestones
One of the defining moments in Doreen’s career was being part of the team that launched MTN Mobile Money in Uganda.
The launch helped transform access to financial services for millions of people and contributed to the growth of mobile money as an important part of the global digital finance ecosystem.
However, Doreen’s impact extends beyond platforms and products.
She is equally proud of her advocacy for greater opportunities for women in the industry, as well as the hundreds of professionals, founders and fintech businesses she has mentored across the world.
Her influence continues through her work at Onafriq, her service on the boards of AFN and FITSPA, and her involvement with ecosystem platforms such as TheBoardroom Africa.
“The kind of pan-African impact we create, whether through platforms, policy conversations or people, is what makes this work meaningful,” she says.
Creating Space for Women to Lead
Doreen believes the future of financial services must include more women in leadership and decision-making positions.
For her, female representation is not simply about achieving balanced numbers. It is about ensuring that the people designing financial products and systems understand the realities faced by women across different communities.
Her long-term vision is to see more women leading the creation of products, services and policies that respond to the everyday financial experiences of women.
She is proud to work within an organisation that promotes gender equity and recognises diversity as an important driver of innovation and stronger business outcomes.
The Power of Roots, Wings and Community
While Doreen’s career has taken her across markets and sectors, she credits her support systems for keeping her grounded.
Mentors, colleagues, peers, collaborators and communities have all played important roles in her journey.
“Growth is limitless when you have roots and wings; people who believe in you, challenge you and grow with you,” she says.
It is a philosophy that also shapes her approach to mentorship. By sharing her experience and supporting others, Doreen is helping to create opportunities that extend beyond her individual achievements.
Her leadership is grounded in collective progress—the understanding that meaningful transformation rarely happens through one person alone.
A Vision for Africa’s Financial Future
Looking ahead, Doreen envisions an Africa where moving money across borders is as straightforward as making a phone call.
“Sending money from one country to another should be simple, affordable and accessible,” she says.
Her aspiration is for financial infrastructure across the continent to support innovation at scale, enable sustainable economic and environmental impact, and help lift more Africans beyond existing levels of inequality and poverty.
It is an ambitious vision, but Doreen’s career has already shown what becomes possible when bold ideas are supported by patient execution, strong partnerships and a commitment to long-term impact.
Two quotes continue to guide her leadership journey:
“It always seems impossible until it’s done.” – Nelson Mandela
“The true meaning of life is to plant trees, under whose shade you do not expect to sit.” — Nelson Henderson
Together, these words reflect how Doreen approaches her work: with tenacity, patience, purpose and faith in what can be built for future generations.
Through her leadership, advocacy and mentorship, Doreen Lukandwa continues to contribute to a more connected, inclusive and future-ready African fintech ecosystem—one bridge, one transaction and one opportunity at a time.
