Equity Bank head of payments Eva Ngigi-Sarwari dies in China

NAIROBI, Kenya - Equity Group, a prominent financial services firm in East Africa, mourns the loss of Eva Ngigi-Sarwari, a key figure in the industry. The 45-year-old, who had recently been leading payments and international banking at Equity Group, tragically passed away while on a business trip to China on October 20. Ngigi-Sarwari's sudden demise has sent shockwaves through the banking and financial technology sectors, as she had been instrumental in shaping the company's digital payment services and cross-border financial infrastructure.

Her passing comes at a time when banks and fintech firms are rapidly expanding their digital offerings to serve businesses and consumers across the continent. In her role at Equity, Ngigi-Sarwari oversaw the lender's payment solutions and international banking services, working closely with corporate clients and institutions. Prior to joining Equity in January 2025, she held significant positions at Visa Kenya, where she served as the country manager from 2020 to 2024.

During her tenure at Visa, Ngigi-Sarwari played a pivotal role in developing and implementing growth strategies across Kenya, South Sudan, and Somalia, as the payments industry sought to broaden electronic transactions and enhance digital payment adoption. Born and raised in Kenya, Ngigi-Sarwari began her banking career in 2005 at Co-operative Bank of Kenya, where she worked in customer relationships and electronic banking.

She later joined Stanbic Bank and Standard Chartered Kenya, ultimately rising to head transaction banking for commercial banking. In 2020, she transitioned to Standard Chartered's venture-building arm, SC Ventures, before taking on her current leadership role at Visa.