Flutterwave, Nigeria’s leading fintech company, has announced a strategic partnership with NoraFirst, an East Asia-based payments firm offering one-stop cross-border financial services.
This collaboration aims to unlock seamless B2B trade payments between Africa and East Asia, ushering in a new era of cross-border commerce and connectivity.
Speaking on the partnership, Flutterwave CEO Olugbenga Agboola said,
“At Flutterwave, our mission has always been to connect Africa to the world through seamless payments. Today, we’re proud to live that mission by partnering with NoraFirst to unlock B2B trade payments between Africa and East Asia—fueling the next wave of cross-border commerce.”
Through Flutterwave’s robust payment infrastructure, NoraFirst will be able to scale effortlessly into African markets. Their clients will now gain the ability to make localized, non-card cross-border payments, bridging global exporters in East Asia with local African businesses.
Operating in over 30 African countries and with a valuation of over $3 billion, Flutterwave continues to extend its influence in global commerce by delivering cutting-edge payment solutions across borders.
It is worth noting that over the past decade, economic relationships between Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia have expanded. In 2021, Asia accounted for over 40% of Africa’s exports and imports, surpassing Europe as the continent’s primary trading partner. China is the leading individual country, with trade volumes reaching $266.3 billion in 2022, a 14.5% year-on-year increase.
With Africa–East Asia trade volumes already exceeding $250 billion annually, this partnership is set to play a significant role in powering the financial rails behind that growth.
For NoraFirst, the partnership aligns with its long-standing commitment to making global trade more accessible, localized, and efficient, especially in high-growth regions like Africa.
“We’re honored to collaborate with Flutterwave,” said Dongdong Wang, Founder & CEO of NoraFirst. “Together, we’ll unlock broader opportunities and drive the next wave of financial innovation in global-Africa trade.”
Commenting on the partnership, NoraFirst wrote via a LinkedIn post,
“At NoraFirst, we’ve spent years deeply embedded in Africa’s financial landscape—building the largest network of local receiving accounts and driving innovation in cross-border finance. Our mission has always been clear: make global trade more accessible, localized, and efficient, especially in high-growth regions like Africa.
“That’s why we’re excited to announce our partnership with Flutterwave, Africa’s leading B2B payments platform and one of the world’s most innovative fintech companies. With operations in 30+ African countries and a $3B+ valuation, Flutterwave has built a world-class payment infrastructure that is transforming how money moves across the continent.
“Together, we’re delivering seamless, localized, and efficient cross-border collection services, empowering African trade businesses and bridging global exporters with local African markets. We’re building a future where financial infrastructure makes cross-border trade simple, fast, and inclusive.”
NoraFirst provides local currency collection, exchange rate management, and other services to traders, cross-border e-commerce businesses, and outbound service providers in emerging markets such as Africa, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America, supporting the digital transformation and innovation of businesses in their outbound operations.
Together, Flutterwave and NoraFirst are poised to revolutionize B2B trade payments—empowering businesses, enhancing efficiency, and deepening Africa’s integration into the global economy.