Commerce

Nium, Ecobank partner to streamline cross-border payments, reaching 32M African customers with faster, efficient international transactions. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

Nium, a leader in real-time cross-border payment infrastructure, has partnered with Ecobank Transnational Incorporated, a pan-African financial services group to streamline cross-border payments, reaching 32M African customers with faster, efficient international transactions

This partnership will enable seamless cross-border payments across 35 African markets, reaching over 32 million Ecobank customers and transforming the region's payments landscape by making international transactions faster and more efficient for both businesses and consumers.

Through this collaboration, Nium’s real-time payments infrastructure will integrate into Ecobank’s existing banking systems, empowering Ecobank to deliver enhanced services, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). By connecting its Swift workflows to Nium’s system, Ecobank gains real-time access to transfers, updates, clearing, settlement, and payment tracking, all without complex API integration. This integration will significantly reduce waiting times for cross-border payments, enabling faster payments to over 220 global markets, including more than 100 countries with real-time payment capabilities.

Boosting Africa’s Payments

Ecobank, a critical financial partner in sub-Saharan Africa, will now be able to offer its regional customers faster and more efficient cross-border transactions, unlocking new opportunities for SMEs to expand in global markets.

Anupam Pahuja, general manager and executive vice-president for APAC, Middle East, and Africa at Nium, expressed, “We are thrilled to partner with Ecobank and introduce Nium’s cutting-edge real-time payment capabilities to Africa. This collaboration represents an important step forward in expanding our global payments network, and we are proud to support Ecobank in delivering faster, more efficient payments for its customers across the region.”

Jeremy Awori, CEO of Ecobank Group, commented, “Partnering with Nium allows us to enhance our service offerings and provide our customers with faster, more efficient cross-border payment solutions. By leveraging our unique API-based payment platform, this collaboration is a significant step towards advancing financial inclusion and connectivity across Africa and enabling businesses to thrive in a global marketplace.”

Ecobank will exchange SwiftMT and ISO20022 messages with Nium to facilitate real-time payments, accelerating business growth and improving the speed and accuracy of cross-border transactions for African businesses.

Aligned with Nium's mission to promote global financial inclusion, this partnership enables real-time payments in regions where traditional banking systems are often slow or unreliable. With Nium's support, Ecobank can now offer an unparalleled cross-border payment experience, while Nium advances its goal of democratising access to the world’s largest real-time payments network.

Mastercard Pay Local enables seamless card payments via digital wallets, enhancing global reach for consumers and merchants alike. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

Mastercard has launched Mastercard Pay Local, a global service that enables consumers to make card-based payments using local digital wallets

Mastercard cardholders can link their credit or debit cards to participating digital wallets, allowing them to shop with ease at merchants without the need for prepaid accounts or additional setups.

This service will initially roll out with leading wallets across Asia Pacific, including DANA in Indonesia, Touch ‘n Go in Malaysia, Bakong in Cambodia, and LankaPay in Sri Lanka. These wallets will enable consumers to make payments at over 35 million merchants worldwide that accept these wallets. Mastercard Pay Local is also aimed at regions where digital wallets are extensively used for everyday transactions, such as Latin America, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.

The service builds on existing partnerships with popular wallet providers, including Alipay and Weixin Pay in mainland China and Octopus in Hong Kong SAR. This expansion allows international visitors to pay like locals when traveling, regardless of where their Mastercard card was issued.

“Mastercard continues to set new standards for the payments industry by offering global solutions that make a local impact,” said Jorn Lambert, chief product officer at Mastercard. “Our work with domestic networks and alternative payment methods underscores our dedication to delivering meaningful innovation. With Mastercard Pay Local, we are expanding the boundaries of acceptance.”

Currently, several digital wallets accept Mastercard to fund wallets and make payments at merchant locations, such as GrabPay in Southeast Asia, Maya in the Philippines, ShopBack in Singapore, TrueMoney in Thailand, and Mercado Pago in Argentina.

In regions like Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, Mastercard is partnering with wallet and mobile operators such as MTN Fintech, Airtel Africa, JazzCash, and M-Pesa to significantly increase acceptance points for travelers and non-wallet users.

Wole Abu Equinix’s new managing director for West Africa, takes the lead to drive Equinix’s growth and digital infrastructure expansion across West Africa. (Image source: Equinix)

Equinix, Inc., a global leader in digital infrastructure, has appointed Wole Abu as the managing director for West Africa, tasked with overseeing the company’s expansion and integration efforts in the region

In this role, Wole will manage Equinix’s operations in Nigeria, Ghana, and Côte d'Ivoire, working closely with local businesses and multinational corporations to enhance connectivity and drive growth across West Africa.

Wole succeeds Funke Opeke, founder and CEO of MainOne, who will continue with Equinix as a strategic advisor for West Africa until March 2026.

With over two decades of experience in the Nigerian telecom industry, Wole brings substantial expertise to Equinix. Prior to this, he was the CEO of Liquid Intelligent Technologies in Nigeria and Africa Data Centre (ADC). Beyond his focus on business growth, Wole is dedicated to utilizing technology to bring about societal change, with an emphasis on enhancing connectivity and digital access across West Africa.

Wole will also lead initiatives to make a positive impact on society, supporting efforts in education, sustainability, and community development. He will play a key role in driving Equinix’s environmental and social sustainability goals, aligning with the company’s broader vision for sustainable development.

Wole Abu, Equinix’s new managing director for West Africa, shared, “I'm excited to be joining Equinix, as we share a common vision for expanding digital infrastructure across Africa. This mission is crucial for bringing life-enhancing services to the region and bridging the digital divide. By empowering both enterprises and individuals, we're enabling broader participation in the global digital economy. I'm eager to contribute to this transformative work and help create a more connected, accessible digital landscape throughout Africa."

Judith Gardiner, vice-president for growth and emerging markets at Equinix, commented, "We are delighted to have Wole join Equinix as the leader driving our operations in West Africa. With his expertise, we will support local businesses and multinational companies in expanding into Africa and beyond through Equinix. This marks a significant milestone for Equinix as we continue to develop our presence in Africa, establishing crucial strategic data hubs, accelerating digital technology development, supporting our customers, and contributing to the continent's immense growth potential through robust digital infrastructure.”

Wole’s appointment comes soon after Equinix launched its latest data center in Johannesburg, further advancing the company’s commitment to expanding its African footprint.

This collaboration supports Rawbank’s vision to enhance digital banking and promote financial inclusion through advanced infrastructure investments. (Image source: Open Access Data Centres)

Rawbank, a frontrunner in banking innovation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), has unveiled a strategic partnership with OADC – Texaf Kinshasa, the country’s inaugural Tier-III certified, carrier-neutral data centre

This collaboration aligns with Rawbank’s vision to boost its digital banking services and advance financial inclusion through investments in cutting-edge infrastructure.

As the DRC experiences significant economic growth, Rawbank has cemented its role as a digital transformation leader, introducing solutions that address evolving market needs and contribute to the expansion of the digital economy. By colocating at OADC – Texaf Kinshasa, Rawbank secures a scalable, secure, and reliable environment for its digital assets, enhancing offerings such as its mobile money service, illicoCash, and expanding access to underserved populations. This partnership will empower Rawbank to deliver accessible, innovative banking solutions across the nation.

“We are excited to welcome Rawbank to our OADC – Texaf Kinshasa data centre,” said Mohammed Bouhelal, managing director of OADC – Texaf Kinshasa. “This collaboration highlights the critical role our facility plays in driving digital transformation in key sectors, including banking. Rawbank’s decision underscores our value in terms of connectivity, resilience and scalability.”

Rawbank's initiatives for financial inclusion have gained global recognition, supported by key collaborations with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), African Development Bank (AfDB), and the African Guarantee Fund (AGF), which provide crucial resources for sustainable growth.

“This partnership with OADC – Texaf Kinshasa marks a major step in our journey to modernise banking services in the DRC,” said Mustafa Rawji, general manager of Rawbank. “By leveraging world-class digital infrastructure, we are reinforcing our commitment to providing secure, accessible, and efficient banking solutions for all Congolese. We look forward to the new opportunities this collaboration will unlock for our customers and the broader community.”