A Future Money podcast, presented by the Interledger Foundation

Inviting people of all backgrounds and disciplines to imagine what a financially inclusive future might be.

Hosts: Lawil Karama

Guest Speaker: Uchi Uchebeke, a Nigerian-Canadian technologist and entrepreneur

In this episode of the Future Money Podcast, host Lawil Karama sits down with Uchi Uchebeke, a Nigerian-Canadian technologist and entrepreneur, to discuss his journey from Nigeria to Canada, his work in financial inclusion, and his vision for the future of digital payments. As the founder of Chimoney, a platform designed to drive economic empowerment through open payments and digital identities, Uchi shares how his experiences have shaped his mission to create accessible financial systems for all.

From his early education in Nigeria, where he first discovered his love for technology, to working at companies like Shopify, IBM, and Coil, Uchi’s story is one of resilience, innovation, and community building. His work today is deeply connected to the Interledger Protocol (ILP), and he is committed to leveraging open-source payment infrastructure to enhance global financial equity.

A Journey of Determination: From Nigeria to Canada

Growing up in southern Nigeria near the Atlantic Ocea, Uchi’s early experiences shaped his understanding of perseverance and ambition. His passion for technology was sparked in high school when he first encountered the internet at a cyber café, a moment that would later define his career trajectory.

Despite pressure from family and teachers to pursue a career in medicine, Uchi was determined to follow his passion for computing. However, access to hands-on learning opportunities in Nigeria was limited. This led him to set his sights on studying abroad, a process that took him three years of applying for scholarships and navigating complex systems before he secured funding to move to Canada.

His transition wasn’t easy. Moving to a new country meant adapting to an entirely different academic and cultural environment. But Uchi was ready for the challenge: "I wanted to compete with the best of the best," he recalls. "And moving to Canada was one of the best decisions I ever made."

Creating Opportunities: Building NINJAHAX and Chimoney

After completing his studies, Uchi recognized that many young people in Africa were just as talented as their global counterparts but lacked access to opportunities. This realization led him to create NINJAHAX, a developer community aimed at connecting African technologists with global opportunities.

Starting in 2018, NINJAHAX organized hackathons, career fairs, and networking events, quickly growing to a community of 50,000 members. This initiative not only helped African developers break into the tech industry but also created a bridge between the continent’s talent pool and the global tech ecosystem.

Building on this momentum, Uchi launched Chimoney, a financial infrastructure platform that enables instant cross-border payments, microtask payouts, and digital financial empowerment. Chimoney simplifies transactions for individuals and businesses, ensuring that users can send and receive money quickly, affordably, and transparently. "Financial inclusion starts with education," Uchi emphasizes. "People need access to knowledge before they can fully participate in the economy."

A Vision for Financial Inclusion and Open Payments

Uchi’s work aligns with Interledger’s mission of creating an open, interoperable financial ecosystem. He envisions a future where financial tools are not just accessible but also empowering. 

"Financial inclusion alone isn’t enough," Uchi explains. "We need to move towards economic empowerment, giving people the tools not just to access money, but to earn and grow their financial independence."

One of the key issues Chimoney addresses is the high cost of transactions, particularly for individuals in developing economies. With traditional remittances charging anywhere from 10% to 30% in fees, many people lose a significant portion of their earnings just by transferring money. Chimoney, leveraging Interledger-enabled wallets, aims to make transactions instant, borderless, and low-cost.

This approach is particularly impactful in regions like Nigeria, where financial infrastructure, while improving, still faces significant challenges. By integrating open payments technology, Chimoney ensures that users can receive payments from international employers instantly. Users also avoid excessive fees associated with traditional banking and remittance services, meaning they can spend their earnings seamlessly, whether for everyday expenses or investments.

Innovating for the Future: AI, Digital Identities, and Interledger

As financial technology evolves, Uchi sees AI and digital identity verification playing an increasingly important role. AI can streamline onboarding processes, enhance fraud detection, and simplify compliance, making financial services more secure and efficient.

Chimoney is also working towards AI-powered KYC (Know Your Customer) and KYB (Know Your Business) verification to simplify regulatory compliance. He is also looking to develop microtask-driven earnings, where users complete tasks online and get paid instantly through Interledger-enabled wallets. E-commerce integration is another of Uchi’s focuses, allowing users to make purchases on platforms like Shopify using open payment protocols.

With Chimoney’s Interledger-powered wallets, users will soon be able to fund their wallets through multiple sources (bank accounts, mobile money, crypto, etc.). They will have the ability to use their payment pointers to access web monetization and e-commerce platforms, and withdraw earnings seamlessly to local bank accounts in 130+ countries.

This interoperability will be key to ensuring that people, regardless of location, can fully participate in the global digital economy.

A Digital Nation: The Future of Global Payments

When asked about his ultimate vision for the future, Uchi describes a world where financial systems are truly borderless and accessible to all. "I imagine a world where financial access is no longer a privilege but a universal right," he says. "A digital economy where people can earn, spend, and transact freely, without barriers."

Through the support of the Digital Financial Services grant and the Interledger Protocol his goal is to build a financial infrastructure that seamlessly connects work, payments, and commerce. Chimoney aims to create a digital nation: an open, decentralized financial system where everyone has a stake in the decision-making process. "It’s not just about sending money," he concludes. "It’s about creating opportunities, breaking down barriers, and ensuring that anyone, anywhere, can thrive."

Listen to the full podcast here: Redefining financial inclusion with Chimoney