Kenya’s financial services sector is mourning the death of Eva Ngigi-Sarwari, Equity Group’s director for payments and international banking, whose career spanned more than two decades in banking, transaction services and digital payments. She died on October 20, 2026, while on a business trip to China.
Her death comes at a time when banks, mobile money providers and international payment networks are competing to expand digital transactions and develop services for businesses and consumers across Africa. Ngigi-Sarwari had worked across several parts of that ecosystem, combining traditional banking experience with leadership roles in financial technology.
She began her banking career at Co-operative Bank of Kenya in 2005, undertaking customer-facing tasks before moving into sales and other commercial roles. She later joined CfC Stanbic Holdings and Standard Chartered Bank Kenya, where she worked in transaction products and services and rose to become head of transaction banking in the commercial banking division.
In January 2020, she moved to SC Ventures, Standard Chartered’s innovation and venture-building arm. She subsequently joined Visa, where she became country manager for Kenya, with responsibilities extending to South Sudan and Somalia.
Her time at Visa coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic, when restrictions on movement accelerated the adoption of digital payment channels by businesses and consumers. Her work included promoting awareness of the security and reliability of digital payments and supporting partnerships that expanded payment options for merchants.
One example was Visa’s partnership with Absa Kenya to introduce Mobi Tap, which allowed small businesses to accept card payments through compatible Android smartphones or tablets. Such tools can reduce the need for dedicated point-of-sale hardware and widen access to digital payment services.
Ngigi-Sarwari joined Equity Group in January 2025 as group director for payments and international banking. In April 2026, she became managing director of Finserve Africa, Equity’s digital financial services subsidiary.
Her responsibilities placed her at the intersection of international banking, transaction services and digital financial products. Equity has been developing its payments business as competition grows among banks, mobile money operators and fintech companies seeking a larger share of transactions across the region.
Colleagues and industry figures remembered her for her contribution to innovation and financial education. Robert Ochieng, chief executive and co-founder of Abojani Investment, described her as an inspiration to professionals working across financial services and technology.
Ngigi-Sarwari held a Bachelor of Business Management from Moi University and an MBA from the University of Nairobi. She also completed the Oxford Fintech Programme and further studies in digital business, reflecting the changing technical and commercial demands of the sector.
Her career traced the transformation of payments from paper-based banking processes to connected digital services used by businesses and consumers. Her death leaves Equity Group with the task of filling a senior leadership role and removes an experienced figure from Kenya’s financial technology community.
