Equity Group has partnered with AfricaNenda Foundation and the Gates Foundation to accelerate the development of Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) across Africa in a move aimed at expanding financial inclusion, strengthening digital payment systems and supporting cross-border trade.
The partnership was announced in Nairobi on July 7. The initiative will begin in Rwanda before expanding to the Democratic Republic of Congo and other African markets.
The partners say the project will bring together governments, regulators and private sector players to build interoperable digital payment systems, trusted digital identity platforms and secure data exchange systems.
They say these systems will make financial services easier to access and more affordable for millions of Africans.
As part of the partnership, Equity Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. James Mwangi, has been appointed Africa’s first Continental Digital Public Infrastructure Champion.
In this role, he will advocate for stronger collaboration between governments, development partners and the private sector to advance Africa’s digital transformation.
The partners say Africa has made significant progress in mobile money adoption over the years. However, nearly 400 million people on the continent still do not have access to formal financial services.
They believe interoperable digital infrastructure can help close this gap by lowering the cost of financial services, expanding access to digital payments and creating opportunities for innovation across different sectors of the economy.
AfricaNenda Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Robert Ochola, says the partnership builds on Equity Group’s experience in promoting financial inclusion and demonstrates the important role the private sector can play in implementing digital public infrastructure.
“Digital Public Infrastructure cannot succeed without private sector participation. Equity brings the execution capability, market reach and innovation needed to move this agenda from policy to implementation,” he says.
The partnership will focus on developing interoperable payment systems, strengthening digital payment solutions for merchants and governments, supporting cross-border payment ecosystems, providing technical assistance and engaging policymakers to accelerate the adoption of digital public infrastructure across Africa.
Dr. Mwangi says digital public infrastructure represents the next phase of Africa’s economic transformation because it provides the foundation on which governments, businesses and innovators can build inclusive digital services.
“Digital Public Infrastructure provides the foundation for inclusive digital financial services that reach every citizen. We will continue working with governments, regulators, development partners and the private sector because this infrastructure has the potential to transform economies, expand opportunity and improve lives across Africa,” he says.
The partners say the initiative will also support the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) by enabling seamless cross-border payments, trusted digital identity systems and secure exchange of information between participating countries.
They say these capabilities will reduce transaction costs, improve efficiency and create new opportunities for businesses operating across African markets.
The Gates Foundation says its support for the initiative is intended to ensure that digital public infrastructure delivers real benefits to ordinary people rather than remaining a technology project with limited impact.
Senior Advocacy Officer for Africa at the Gates Foundation, Nanjira Sambuli, says the true value of digital public infrastructure lies in expanding financial inclusion and improving people’s daily lives through accessible digital services.
AfricaNenda currently works with more than 30 central banks across Africa to strengthen inclusive instant payment systems.
Through its collaboration with Equity Group, the organisation expects to accelerate the implementation of practical digital infrastructure models that can be replicated in multiple African markets.
