Blu Penguin, a Ghana-based fintech and mobile money aggregator, has joined forces with Network International, a leading enabler of digital commerce across the Middle East and Africa, to bring mobile money capabilities to merchants across Ghana.
This strategic collaboration integrates Blu Penguin’s mobile payment technology with Network’s N-Genius™ point-of-sale (POS) terminals, marking a significant step forward for financial inclusion and payment innovation in Ghana and the wider West African region.
Mobile money has become an essential part of daily life across Africa, especially in markets where traditional banking services remain out of reach for large segments of the population. By enabling mobile money payments through N-Genius™ POS devices, Blu Penguin and Network International are addressing the growing demand for flexible, secure, and convenient payment options. This partnership empowers merchants to accept mobile money from all major telecom providers in Ghana using the same terminals they already rely on for card payments—eliminating the need for multiple devices and reducing operational complexity.
Through this integration, Network International’s clients can seamlessly process mobile money transactions alongside card payments on their existing N-Genius terminals. This positions Network as a true third-party payment processor (TPP) in Ghana, able to support a broad range of transaction types on a single, unified platform. The initiative reflects both companies’ commitment to adapting to evolving market needs and supporting Africa’s rapidly digitising economy.
Chinwe Uzoho, Regional Managing Director, Western Africa – Processing at Network International, emphasised the significance of this milestone:
“This partnership with Blu Penguin reinforces our commitment to advancing digital commerce and financial inclusion. By integrating mobile money transaction capabilities into our N-Genius terminals, we are providing a seamless payment experience that caters to the needs of both banked and unbanked individuals, helping businesses and financial institutions offer greater transaction flexibility.”
The solution not only enhances merchant convenience; it also strengthens the product offering of financial institutions across the country. Sebastian Yalley, Managing Director, Ghana – Processing at Network International, added:
“This collaboration represents a significant advancement for Ghana’s payments landscape. It enhances our service offerings for banks by combining the strong mobile money processing capabilities of Blu Penguin with our industry-leading card infrastructure to provide a unified app for merchants to deliver secure, accessible, and convenient payment capabilities.”
At the core of this partnership is a shared mission to drive digital payment adoption by reducing friction in the customer experience. Blu Penguin will integrate its platform directly with Network International’s acquiring infrastructure to ensure secure, fast, and interoperable mobile money transactions. This allows merchants and banks to rely on one solution for all forms of digital payment, card and mobile money alike.
With active operations in Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, Blu Penguin brings to the table a mobile-first approach that is tailored to the African context. Its strategy focuses on making digital transactions more accessible to consumers across varying income levels and technological familiarity.
Tenu Awoonor, Founder of Blu Penguin, noted the broader implications of the partnership:
“This collaboration goes beyond technology integration; it is a strategic effort to improve payment accessibility and convenience for merchants in Africa. By partnering with Network International, we are equipping banks and merchants with the ability to offer multiple payment options in a single app, making transactions more seamless. We get to leverage our respective strengths in a collaborative effort with financial institutions to drive faster adoption and usage of digital payments to support greater financial inclusion in Africa.”
The initial rollout phase of this partnership has already begun, with the feature being activated on selected terminals in Ghana. The goal is to extend this mobile money functionality across all N-Genius™ terminals used by financial institutions nationwide, and eventually expand the offering to other countries across Sub-Saharan Africa.
This collaboration is not just a technical enhancement—it is a pivotal development in the evolution of Africa’s payments ecosystem. By bringing together the local market expertise of Blu Penguin and the robust infrastructure and scale of Network International, the partnership promises to accelerate digital transformation and expand financial access across the continent.
