The Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) headquarters in Nairobi’s. Photo/Courtesy.
The Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) Plc has launched the NSE Innovation Lab, a strategic initiative designed to pioneer transformative digital solutions that will deepen and expand Africa’s capital markets.
The Innovation Lab will serve as the Exchange’s hub for applied innovation a collaborative space where technology meets market structure to unlock new frontiers in liquidity, efficiency, and financial inclusion.
As part of the launch, the NSE announced that the Hedera Foundation and Hashgraph have joined as the first strategic technology partners in the Innovation Lab, marking what the Exchange described as a major milestone in its mission to build a digitally enabled, globally connected marketplace.
“The NSE Innovation Lab is a catalyst for capital markets transformation,” said Frank Mwiti, Chief Executive of the NSE.
“By bringing together innovators, market participants, and global technology pioneers such as the Hedera Foundation allbnd Hashgraph, we are creating a platform for experimentation, learning, and invention that will power the next generation of Africa’s capital markets.” Mwiti noted.
The partnership aims to fast-track digital transformation within Africa’s financial ecosystem by developing and scaling innovative solutions for capital markets, sustainable finance, and financial inclusion.
“We’re deeply proud to collaborate with the NSE to help them in their mission to accelerate the digital transformation of Africa’s capital markets via the Hedera network,” said Gregg Bell, Chief Business Officer at HBAR, Inc, a subsidiary of Hedera Foundation SEZC.
“As a Hedera Council member, NSE is showcasing the power of this organization to pioneer institutional-grade development across the globe.” Bell added.
Eric Piscini, CEO of Hashgraph, said “Partnering with the NSE and Hedera Foundation is an important step toward building more open and trusted financial systems. By working together, we can use our expertise and assets in tokenization to grow and expand markets in Africa.”
Through the Lab, the NSE will design, test, and scale breakthrough solutions aligned with its 2025–2029 strategic vision. The initiative seeks to deepen capital markets, expand retail participation, and enhance access to finance for SMEs and women-owned enterprises.
It will also focus on sustainable finance, digital assets, tokenized instruments, and intelligent market data systems, while exploring new models for regional market connectivity and investor inclusion.
The Exchange noted that discussions are ongoing with other potential partners including global technology firms, incubators, accelerators, academic institutions, and venture studios to expand the Lab’s ecosystem and accelerate innovation.
