Collins Sefa Hubtel, Ghana’s leading payment service provider, has announced the appointment of Patience Akyianu as its new Board Chair, following the planned exit of Hans Nilsson after a decade of guiding the company through significant governance and growth milestones.
Hans, who joined Hubtel’s Board in 2015, is credited with transforming the company’s governance systems, strengthening board oversight, and preparing Hubtel for future public-market scrutiny. He also played a key role in helping the company achieve long-term revenue targets set a decade ago, while championing evidence-driven decision-making and leadership development across the business.
Patience Akyianu brings over two decades of executive experience spanning banking, finance, and insurance. She previously served as Managing Director of Barclays Bank Ghana (now Absa), Chief Financial Officer for Standard Chartered’s Africa regional operations in Johannesburg, and an Independent Non-Executive Director at Ecobank Ghana. Since joining Hubtel’s Board in 2021, she has contributed to enhancing governance structures and regulatory alignment.
In her acceptance remarks, Patience emphasized the board’s priority to “maintain trust, simplify everyday payments for customers and merchants, and elevate governance as Hubtel grows in Ghana and across Africa.”
Outgoing Chair Hans Nilsson described the handover as timely and strategic. “The board is strong, the leadership team is ready, and the company is well-positioned for its next chapter,” he said.
Hubtel CEO Alex Bram praised both leaders, noting: “We are grateful to Hans for a decade of steady guidance and proud to welcome Patience as Board Chair to steer governance, strategy, and disciplined growth.”
The board initiated succession planning well in advance to ensure continuity in governance and strategic direction. Patience’s leadership will guide Hubtel’s priorities over the next two years, including strengthening payment reliability, deepening merchant support, and exploring selective regional expansion.
Hubtel is licensed by the Bank of Ghana as an Enhanced Payment Service Provider and operates 23 offices across the country with approximately 700 employees. Founded in 2005, the company enables customers to easily find and pay for everyday essentials from local businesses. Hubtel has been recognized by the Financial Times as Ghana’s fastest-growing company in 2022, and its work has been featured by Amazon
