Mastercard Launches Africa Edge Summit to Accelerate Digital Payments Innovation Across the Continent

Mastercard  held its inaugural Africa Edge summit, convening leaders from across Africa’s payments ecosystem to explore how collaboration and innovation can accelerate the continent’s digital growth. The forum focused on building the infrastructure, trust and interoperability needed to support Africa’s fast-growing digital economy, projected to reach USD 1.5 trillion by 2030, and create new opportunities for consumers and small businesses.

Hosted by Mark Elliott, division president, Africa, Mastercard, the event brought together senior representatives from banks, fintech companies, telcos, regulators and technology partners. Speakers and panelists discussed how to expand low-cost acceptance, improve interoperability and enhance security at scale to create a more inclusive and resilient economy. With internet penetration in Africa projected to grow at 20 percent annually, participants agreed that seamless, secure and connected payment systems are essential to sustaining growth and unlocking new opportunities for trade and entrepreneurship.

During the event, Mastercard showcased two breakthrough innovations shaping the future of digital commerce. The first-ever Agent Pay transaction in EEMEA was executed live, marking a major step toward autonomous, secure and accessible payment experiences. In addition, Mastercard launched the Merchant Cloud, a unified platform that brings together payments, AI and security to help merchants grow their businesses confidently in an omnichannel environment. Both innovations underscore Mastercard’s commitment to building intelligent, inclusive and resilient payment ecosystems that power Africa’s digital transformation.

“Africa Edge is a reflection of Mastercard’s long-term commitment to this continent. It is about collaboration and supporting partners across the ecosystem to deliver secure, seamless and accessible digital experiences that help people and businesses grow. Africa’s digital economy is scaling fast, and Mastercard is proud to be a trusted technology partner helping power that growth.”

– Mark Elliott, Division President, Africa, Mastercard

Throughout the day, discussions highlighted the growing importance of payment immediacy and liquidity, with panelists noting how same-day settlement helps small businesses absorb shocks, reduce borrowing needs and reinvest faster. South Africa’s real-time clearing system was cited as a model as Mastercard advances instant-payment capabilities across multiple African markets.

Ling Hai, president of APEMEA, Mastercard, further highlighted faster payments as critical to helping small businesses manage cash flow and grow. He emphasized that Africa’s digital future depends on simple, safe and accessible payment solutions that work across markets and devices, calling for closer collaboration between the public and private sectors to ensure innovation benefits everyone.

Futurist John Sanei, the event’s keynote speaker, explored how human adaptability and emotional intelligence will define leadership success in an era of AI-driven change. A spotlight session with Smile ID addressed the rising threat of synthetic identities and deepfakes, highlighting how Mastercard and Smile ID are combining AI-driven liveness checks and verification to strengthen digital onboarding and reduce fraud across African markets.

“East Africa has long led the world in mobile payments. We are building on that foundation by linking ecosystems like Airtel Money, MTN Momo, Mixx by Yas and M-PESA to global payment rails and expanding secure, interoperable digital solutions that support individuals and SMEs. With 91 percent of Kenyan SMEs already using digital payments, the region continues to set the pace for Africa’s $1.5 trillion digital economy opportunity.”

– Shehryar Ali, Senior Vice President and Country Manager, East Africa & Indian Ocean Islands, Mastercard

“Real-time payments are transforming how businesses manage cash flow and trade across borders. South Africa was the first market globally to benefit from Mastercard’s real-time card payment solution, giving merchants faster access to funds and improving liquidity. As e-commerce grows beyond R130 billion in 2025, these advances are helping small businesses participate more confidently in the digital economy.”

– Gabriel Swanepoel, Country Manager, Southern Africa, Mastercard

“West Africa is home to one of the world’s fastest growing fintech sectors. Nigeria alone accounted for 28 percent of all African fintech companies in 2024, attracting nearly USD 400 million in investment. By combining global technology with local insight, we are helping banks, fintechs and innovators build open, trusted and scalable infrastructure. Our collaborations with governments, banks and fintech companies in the region are making digital payments simpler and safer for millions, proving that inclusion and innovation can move forward together.”

– Folasade Femi-Lawal, Country Manager, West Africa, Mastercard

The event culminated in a celebratory awards ceremony and gala dinner, recognizing outstanding contributions from Mastercard’s partners and customers across Africa who are advancing innovation and inclusion in the digital economy.