Sierra Leone’s Vult taps Ugandan fintech expert Esther Nigiwan as operations chief

What the report says

Sierra Leone-based digital financial services company Vult has named Ugandan fintech professional Esther Linda Nigiwan as its chief operations officer, according to The Observer. The company said the appointment is part of its push to expand digital payment services and support financial inclusion in Sierra Leone. Nigiwan has relocated to Freetown to take up the role.

The Observer reported that Nigiwan brings more than a decade of experience in digital financial services, market expansion and commercial leadership across sub-Saharan Africa. She joins Vult from Pyypl, where she served as head of Africa and oversaw operations in eight African markets, including Sierra Leone. Her background also includes work at SeerBit Uganda, Wave Mobile Money and Numida Technologies, with a focus on payments growth, agent networks and sales strategy.

At Vult, Nigiwan is expected to oversee commercial strategy as the company works to strengthen its wallet, card and merchant payment services for individuals and businesses. The appointment suggests Vult is positioning itself for broader use of digital payments among consumers and merchants in Sierra Leone, a market where access to secure and inclusive financial services remains a continuing priority. The report also notes that Nigiwan has an MBA from Edinburgh Business School at Heriot-Watt University and a business degree from Makerere University Business School.