Finserve Africa Managing Director Eva Ngigi Sarwari has died at the age of 45 while on a business trip to China.
Sarwari, who also served as Equity Group's Director of Payments and International Banking, was remembered by her colleagues as her sudden death sent shockwaves through the financial services sector.
In a statement confirming her death, her colleagues described the news as a sudden and profound shock, extending their thoughts to her family, friends and co-workers. The statement did not disclose the cause or date of her death, noting that further updates would be provided.
Sarwari had more than 20 years of experience in banking and payments, building a career that spanned local and regional banks, international financial institutions and global payment networks.
She began her banking career in 2005 after graduating from university, initially handling routine customer service duties before progressing to teller operations and sales.
She later transitioned into corporate banking, where she worked as a relationship manager at Co-operative Bank of Kenya, helping businesses adopt electronic banking solutions through product demonstrations, installations and customer training.
In 2020, Sarwari joined SC Ventures, the venture-building arm of Standard Chartered, as a venture lead. In September of the same year, she moved to Visa, where she served as senior director and country manager for Kenya, South Sudan and Somalia.
She held the position until December 2024, overseeing the development and implementation of Visa's growth strategy across the three markets.
In January 2025, Sarwari joined Equity Group as Director of Payments and International Banking, tasked with executing the group's payments strategy across Africa.
She was appointed Managing Director of Finserve Africa in April 2026, taking charge of the subsidiary's strategy, commercial direction and operations in digital financial services and payments.
Her career placed her at the centre of efforts to expand electronic payments and improve how individuals and businesses transfer money across different markets.
Sarwari's death is a significant loss to the financial services industry, where she had built a career spanning more than two decades.
Her colleagues have expressed their condolences to her family and loved ones as they mourn her passing.
