Ozow expands risk and governance structure to support payments operations and regulatory alignment

New executive role reflects growing need for integrated risk management as fintech models evolve

Ozow, a South African payments provider, has appointed Tendi Nyathi as Chief Risk and Governance Officer, effective 1 April 2026, as the company formalises a broader approach to managing risk, compliance, and regulatory engagement across its operations. The role, created as part of an internal restructuring, reflects changes in the payments sector, where non-bank players are operating under increasing regulatory scrutiny and facing more complex fraud risks.

Nyathi, who previously served as Chief Legal Officer, will now oversee enterprise risk strategy, governance frameworks, and regulatory relationships while continuing to lead the legal function. Her responsibilities include integrating risk management into product development, strengthening compliance processes, and supporting licensing efforts as the company expands into new markets.

The appointment comes as the payments industry adapts to evolving regulatory models that focus more on financial activities than on the type of institution providing them. In South Africa, ongoing discussions led by the central bank have highlighted the need to modernise payment systems, improve fraud controls, and define how fintech companies participate in the broader financial ecosystem.

“Regulation is evolving to focus less on what an institution is and more on the activities it performs,” Nyathi says. “That shift requires a much more integrated and strategic approach to risk and governance.”

Within this context, risk management is increasingly tied to how digital payment platforms are designed and operated. Rather than functioning as a separate control layer, governance structures are being embedded into workflows that handle transactions, customer onboarding, and data processing. This approach allows companies to respond more quickly to regulatory requirements while maintaining visibility over operational exposure.

Nyathi points to three developments shaping the sector in 2026: the adoption of activity-based regulatory frameworks, increased focus on fraud prevention, and continued efforts to expand access to financial services. “Financial inclusion remains critical, but it must be balanced with responsible innovation. Governance and risk play a central role in enabling that balance,” she says.

She also argues that clearer risk frameworks can support, rather than limit, product development. “If you don’t understand your boundaries, you can’t innovate effectively. Risk provides clarity—it allows teams to move faster because they understand the implications of their decisions upfront.”

As digital payments continue to scale, the ability to manage risk in real time becomes part of the underlying infrastructure that supports transactions and user trust. According to Nyathi, long-term adoption will depend not only on efficiency but also on how well companies demonstrate control over their operations. “Efficiency is important, but trust is what drives adoption. The fintechs that succeed will be those that can demonstrate they understand and manage risk effectively and can communicate that to both consumers and merchants,” she says.

By expanding its governance and risk capabilities, Ozow is aligning its operating model with a sector that increasingly requires compliance, transparency, and resilience to be built into the way financial services are delivered.