A market view from Norman Frankel, Chief Growth Officer following his recent market visit. Originally published here. For regular visitors to Egypt, Old Cairo rarely changes. Home to the bank’s headquarters for decades, the constant background noise of traffic, the hustle and bustle of trade, narrow streets steeped in history and culture, are in stark
Somalia Payment Switch (SPS1) has successfully launched the country’s first-ever Instant Payment System with QR payments support, powered by BPC’s next-generation SmartVista platform, a global leader in payment solutions2. Championed by the Central Bank of Somalia (CBS), the initiative marks a major step in modernising Somalia’s payment infrastructure, promoting financial inclusion and enhancing economic stability.
Author: Norman Frankel, Chief Growth Officer, Stanchion Payments Solutions. Originally published here. I had the pleasure of growing up in Kenya in the 1970s, so every time I return, it always feels special. Of course, the city of Nairobi has changed a lot, and when I send photos back to the office, some in the
Djamo, a financial services app based in Ivory Coast, has raised US$17 million in an equity funding round to expand its banking services for consumers and SMEs in Francophone Africa. Regis Bamba and Hassan Bourgi launched Djamo in 2021. It is designed to provide mobile-first, affordable banking solutions for consumers and small businesses in the
TechCentral and NTT DATA recently hosted an executive roundtable with senior financial services leaders to explore how emerging technologies reshape Africa’s payments landscape and the opportunities and challenges in building a more inclusive, efficient financial ecosystem. This is what transpired. Africa’s financial sector stands at a critical juncture. With rising mobile penetration, the rapid adoption
PayPal, a global digital payments and commerce platform, today announced a strategic partnership with TerraPay, a leading global money movement company, to enable real-time fund transfers for PayPal customers across the Middle East and Africa. This partnership aims to drive economic growth by connecting banks, mobile wallets, and financial institutions to make cross-border transactions faster,
Flutterwave, a Nigeria-based payments technology company, has expanded its presence in Ghana by integrating the Pay With Bank Transfer option in collaboration with Affinity Bank. Ghana recorded over 115 million bank transfer payments in 2023. While Mobile Money remains the dominant payment method for daily transactions, the increasing adoption of bank transfers highlights the growing
By: Pierre Aurel, Chief Product Officer, Stanchion Payments Solution. Originally published here. The number of virtual cards issued worldwide is growing at an unprecedented pace. According to Juniper Research, global virtual card issuance is expected to grow at over 30% annually between 2023 and 2028, driven by relentless consumer demand for seamless, secure and convenient
EFTCorp, a trusted partner in modern banking, was honoured with the ‘Outstanding Contribution to Fintech Enablement’ award at the 15th Africa Bank 4.0 Summit—West Africa, held in Accra, Ghana, from 26 to 27 February 2025. The award recognises EFTCorp’s role in advancing fintech innovation and expanding financial inclusion across Africa by providing cutting-edge payment solutions
iKhokha, a fintech company dedicated to fostering growth for South African small businesses amid challenging macroeconomic conditions, hosted its first iKhokha Elevate event in Durban on Wednesday, March 12. The event, which saw hundreds of merchants attend in person and thousands more join online, focused on discussing the challenges and successes of small businesses. It
