Thunes and Ecobank Partner to Enable Instant Cross-Border Payments Across Sub-Saharan Africa
This new chapter of financial access will see a large-scale integration between banking and fintech infrastructures, making it easier for people and businesses to send, receive, and manage money instantly across borders.
Thunes, the Smart Superhighway to move money around the world and Ecobank Group, the leading pan-African financial institution, today announced a collaboration which will enable instant cross-border payments for millions of individuals and businesses across Sub-Saharan Africa.
The partnership operationalizes the landmark memorandum of understanding signed between Ecobank and TransferTo, Thunes’ holding company, in 2024. That agreement envisioned a fundamental transformation of financial access and cross-border payment solutions across Africa.
This new chapter of financial access will see a large-scale integration between banking and fintech infrastructures, making it easier for people and businesses to send, receive, and manage money instantly across borders. Faster settlements, simpler access to liquidity, and broader reach will unlock new possibilities for growth and participation in the digital economy.
The pan-African deployment will progressively expand across Ecobank’s entire 32-country operational footprint, in line with local regulations in each market. This phased continental rollout aims to connect Ecobank customers to Thunes’ Direct Global Network, which spans over 130 countries and connects to 7 billion mobile wallets and bank accounts worldwide.
By combining Ecobank’s extensive and deep local presence with Thunes’ trusted Direct Global Network, the alliance empowers entrepreneurs to trade beyond borders, families to support loved ones instantly, and communities to take part in a more dynamic, digital African economy.
“This collaboration marks a major development in how we power payments across Africa. Thunes’ solutions and Ecobank’s reach are a perfect match: together we’re delivering faster, more reliable access to liquidity and creating new pathways for growth across Sub-Saharan Africa. The result is a live, large-scale solution that’s transforming how money moves across the continent. This represents a key milestone in our mission to enable the next billion end users to take part in the global economy.”
– Peter De Caluwe, Co-Founder and CEO, Thunes
“Our collaboration with Thunes perfectly aligns with Ecobank’s mission to provide borderless banking and drive financial inclusion across Africa. By combining our robust banking infrastructure with Thunes’ fintech innovation and trusted Direct Global Network, we’re expanding real-time financial access for millions and driving the growth of Africa’s digital economy.”
– Jeremy Awori, CEO, Ecobank Group
