Digital Finance growth outpaces confidence — Bridgforte
By Babajide Komolafe
The rapid expansion of digital finance is outpacing public trust in the financial ecosystem, prompting the Bridgforte Centre for Global Impact to unveil a new governance framework and the Trust Lab aimed at bolstering confidence in platform-driven finance.
The Centre announced the initiative during the launch of its flagship policy report, “Trust Architecture in Platform-Led Finance.” The event was part of a global online dialogue attended by more than 400 central bankers, regulators, financial institutions, fintech leaders, consumer advocates, researchers, and development partners.
Aishah Ahmad, Founder of Bridgforte and former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, emphasized that the next phase of financial inclusion hinges not only on greater access to digital financial services but also on the deliberate cultivation of confidence throughout the ecosystem.
“Customers do not experience individual institutions. They experience the financial system as a whole,” Ahmad said. “In increasingly interconnected financial systems, trust is established or eroded during transitions between institutions. Trust is not merely a communications strategy; it is a governance outcome that must be intentionally designed.”
The report indicated that participants in Bridgforte’s Executive Table in Lagos earlier this year rated the overall resilience of trust in Nigeria’s platform-led financial ecosystem at 5.4 out of 10. In contrast, attendees of the global launch scored it at 5.7 out of 10, reflecting a shared concern that the pace of digital finance growth has outstripped public confidence.
In her keynote address, Nomfundo Tshazibana, Deputy Governor of the South African Reserve Bank, described trust and confidence as critical components of “economic infrastructure.” She stressed that resilient financial systems rely on credible institutions, sound governance, effective collaboration, and the continuous earning of public trust.
To bridge the confidence gap, Bridgforte introduced a Trust Architecture Framework encompassing five pillars: Infrastructure Integrity, Institutional Accountability, Technology Governance, Ecosystem Coordination, and Cultural Confidence.
Ahmad also announced the launch of the Trust Lab, which will serve as a long-term platform for research, dialogue, and measurement aimed at helping policymakers and industry leaders enhance trust in the increasingly interconnected digital financial systems.
