Ripple, one of the leaders in enterprise blockchain and crypto solutions, announced its entry into Africa in partnership with MFS Africa, a leading digital payments gateway. The new partnership will see MFS Africa using Ripple’s On-Demand Liquidity (ODL) solution for crypto-enabled payments to make it easier than ever for consumers and businesses in Africa to make real-time payments with their mobile phones across borders – all powered by Ripple’s financial technology, RippleNet.

Africa has enjoyed an early mover’s position in the application of fintech in effecting financial inclusion and economic transformation. The success of the continent’s mobile money revolution caught the world’s attention over a decade ago, bringing into sharp focus the potential inherent in the combination of finance and technology – with innovation and empathy. The system was simple, scalable, accessible, and made possible by unlikely partnerships. It enabled real-time transactions, and brought millions of unbanked individuals into the financial mainstream.

“On October 25, 2022, AfricaNenda launched State of the Instant and Inclusive Payment Systems (SIIPS) 2022 report, in collaboration with the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa and the World Bank. It is the fruition of extensive consultation with a broad range of industry leaders, experts, and digital financial services (DFS) as well as MSMEs and 1,200 consumers in seven countries on the continent. The first take from the report is that Instant Payment systems (IPS) are on a rapid ascent in Africa: 29 systems have gone live on the continent over the past decade, two new systems on average emerge every year, 21 others are underway. And usage of IPS is growing commensurately. In 2021, the 29 active systems on the continent processed nearly USD 1 trillion and 16 billion in transaction values and volumes, respectively.”

“Ghana’s introduction of a a 1.5% tax on mobile money transactions in May 2022 has been watched closely by policymakers across Africa. The proponents of the electronic transaction levy (e-levy) argue that taxes on mobile money — commonly referred to in Ghana as MoMo — present an opportunity for cash-strapped governments to raise funds in the complex post-pandemic context. In Ghana, the “e-levy” has been linked to the current administration’s “Ghana Beyond Aid” strategy for reducing aid dependence. Taxes on MoMo, in Ghana and elsewhere, have also been justified as a way to “capture” those working in the informal economy, who are perceived as being untaxed. Critics have pointed out, however, that informal workers (who make up 89% of total employment in Ghana) already pay a range of fees and taxes. Therefore they may be disproportionately affected by this new tax.”

“Nedbank, the South African financial services group, recently secured a “village” in the Ubuntuland metaverse which reportedly measures 12 by 12. By securing the village, which will be used to showcase African creativity, Nedbank is said to have become one of the first financial institutions on the African continent to embrace the metaverse. According to a Bloomberg report , the financial services group has partnered with Africarare, the creators of Ubuntuland. Remarking on Nedbank’s entry into the metaverse, Khensani Nobanda, the financial giant’s marketing and corporate affairs executive, said that her organization chose to secure space in the virtual world because it wants to create experiences for its clients that “go beyond banking.””

“Prophius has announced the rollout of its PayContactless solution, enabling small businesses to accept contactless payments through their NFC-enabled Android phones. The move is expected to boost digital payments acceptance for small and micro enterprises (SMEs) in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Uganda and other key markets in Sub-Saharan Africa, while supporting consumers’ preference for safe and seamless digital payments. PayContactless leverages Mastercard Tap on Phone, a simple and cost-effective digital payment technology developed for micro and small businesses and traders, who tend to operate in a cash economy due to the costs and complexity of obtaining traditional PoS devices.”

“Brazilian fintech company Ebanx S.A. on Tuesday said it has expanded into Africa, where it hopes to replicate its fast growth in Latin America by placing a greater emphasis on the digital payments side of its business. The company started operations in Kenya, South Africa and Nigeria in late August amid soaring demand for payments via mobile phones in recent years.”

“At a time of growing interest in social commerce in Africa, Instagram has started working with African startups focused on helping vendors sell more through DMs, by letting those startups connect to its messaging APIs. One of the first startups to do this integration is Bumpa, a Nigerian Shopify-like website that allows its users to create an online store, plus other functionalities like recording sales and tracking payments. Vendors who have the Bumpa app can receive Instagram direct messages from potential customers, without needing to have Instagram installed on their phones (though they must have an account).”

“Safaricom has unveiled a zero-interest credit service that will allow millions of its customers to shop for goods up to Sh100,000 and pay later in a move that is set to disrupt the mobile loans market. Users of the interest-free product to be known as Faraja will buy goods and services from as low as Sh20 to a maximum of Sh100,000 and pay the same amount without any extra fees witnessed on other credit products.   However, only the normal M-pesa transaction charges will apply at the point of sale on the product to be bankrolled by Equity Bank.”

“The South African Reserve Bank is working on a new Rapid Payments Programme (RPP) which is set to significantly shake up payments in South Africa. The programme, which is mentioned in the central bank’s 2022 annual report, forms part of the SARB’s ‘vision 2025’ plan as an industry-led payments modernisation initiative. The SARB noted that BankServAfrica is working with several bank participants to build the technology solution that forms the backbone of the RPP solution. It is currently in the testing phase with its implementation planned for the second half of 2022.”

“Africa’s Global Bank, United Bank for Africa (UBA) has announced the expansion of the services of Leo, its Artificial Intelligence chatbot to Google Business Chat and Instagram. Leo – UBA’s AI-powered chatbot, which enables customers to make use of their social media accounts to carry out key banking transactions – was first introduced in January, 2018. It has since evolved to become a custom-fitted, personalised virtual banker to several UBA Customers across its 20 African countries. Before now, UBA’s Leo was servicing customers on Facebook Messenger, Whatsapp and Apple Chat. The bank also announced an interesting upgrade to the existing features of Leo, where customers can now carry out their activities in a 3D animated format.”

“When early in April the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) penalised six top banks a total of N1.3bn ($3.1m) for violating its directive against facilitating transactions in cryptocurrencies, it was the latest sign that the country’s crypto problem won’t easily go away. Access Bank got the biggest fine of N500m, followed by FCMB with N400m and Stanbic IBTC with N200m. United Bank for Africa and Wema Bank were slapped with N100m naira each, and Fidelity Bank N14.28m. With the government prohibition, the onus has been on the banks to detect accounts used to trade in cryptocurrencies.”

“Ethiopia has started changing its national payments law to clear the way for Safaricom to introduce its popular M-Pesa in the market of 110 million people. Ethiopia’s central bank has drafted a Bill that will allow foreign investors to offer mobile money services, boosting firms such as Safaricom that are seeking to start operations in the country this year.”

“Africa, with its internationally recognised musical talent – and growing mobile phone use – is central to Swedish music streamer Spotify’s (SPOT.N) plans to extend its reach to a billion customers. As African artists such as Nigeria’s Burna Boy and South Africa’s Black Coffee are streamed across the world, the continent was seen as an obvious choice and is the home to more than a third of the company’s 85 new markets. The problem is payment on a continent where many people are more likely to have a mobile phone than a bank account.”

“High hopes for seamless intra-Africa trade under the terms of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) got a boost this week with the formal roll-out of a payments platform by the Africa Export-Import bank (Afreximbank), the continent’s trade finance institution. The platform is called the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System, or PAPSS, and was first launched in July 2019 at an African Union summit in Niger.”

“Somalia has set up a national payments system as part of plans to develop the financial industry in one of the world’s most fragile states, following decades of political and economic instability. The 13 lenders in the Horn of Africa nation can now “become inter-operable, connected to the clearing and settlement system of the central bank and able to transact with each other,” Central Bank of Somalia Governor Abdirahman M. Abdullahi said in an interview. The system will “facilitate transactions between vendors and their customers more efficiently.””

“In a country-first for Malawi, mobile money service provider TNM Mpamba today launched a Mastercard virtual payment solution that will enable TNM Mpamba mobile money wallet customers to make safe and seamless local and international e-commerce transactions. This is expected to enhance financial inclusion and improve access to the digital economy. Through a Mastercard virtual (non-plastic) payment solution linked to the TNM Mpamba mobile money wallet, customers will be able to make payments to local and global online brands and merchants, expanding their reach to an international marketplace.”

“Sending money anywhere in SADC quickly, cheaply and securely is no longer a dream, but a reality.  Last month BankservAfrica successfully processed its first real-time cross-border transactions between Zimbabwe and Namibia via the TCIB (Transactions Cleared on an Immediate Basis) payments service.  “We are so excited to see this project finally come to life after all the hard work and collaboration with the broader payments industry in the region,” says BankservAfrica’s Ruhling Herbst, Executive Sponsor of the TCIB initiative.  Jointly developed by the SADC Banking Association and BankservAfrica, TCIB is open to all players in the cross-border remittance space in SADC, including banks and authorised non-banks.”

“Since the early 2000s, the 15-member Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has been pursuing a common currency agenda, centered on the “eco,” with the intention of reducing barriers to doing business across the region and increasing trade overall. While the implementation of the new currency has been postponed due to hurdles in macroeconomic convergence across the countries and the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, among other challenges, many policymakers remain keen to forge ahead, with implementation now tentatively set for 2027.”

“The number of mobile money accounts in Africa passed the half a billion mark in 2020, and the continent accounted for more than 64% of the value of global mobile money transactions, totalling $767bn. Looking to the future, there is no sign of this growth slowing, according to CR4 Market Insight. That said, traditional banking and payment channels, like ATMs and point of sale (POS) also show an upward trend, highlighting the wide range of needs of the African population.”