Onafriq, Africa’s largest digital payments network, has joined forces with Visa to roll out Visa Pay in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The partnership aims to bridge the gap between mobile money and traditional digital payments, making financial transactions more seamless in one of Africa’s fastest-growing but underserved markets.
A Big Step for Financial Inclusion
The DRC is home to over 100 million people, yet less than a quarter of the population has access to formal banking services. Instead, mobile money has become the backbone of everyday transactions. With services like M-Pesa and Airtel Money, millions of Congolese rely on their phones to pay bills, send money, and receive payments. But the system has always had a limitation—it doesn’t fully connect with the broader digital payment ecosystem.
That’s where Visa Pay comes in. By integrating Onafriq’s vast mobile money network with Visa’s global infrastructure, users in the DRC will be able to move seamlessly between local mobile wallets and international digital payment systems. This isn’t just about convenience; it’s about opening new doors for trade, remittances, and financial access at scale.
Why This Matters
For years, Africa’s fintech conversation has centered on mobile money, but many users remain cut off from global commerce. If someone in Kinshasa wanted to subscribe to a digital service abroad or receive payment from an overseas client, the options were limited and often expensive. By bridging this gap, Visa Pay has the potential to unlock opportunities that go far beyond peer-to-peer transfers.
My take is that partnerships like this are crucial for Africa’s financial future. While fintech startups have driven incredible innovation locally, the missing link has always been global integration. Without it, Africa risks building parallel financial systems that don’t fully connect with the rest of the world. Visa and Onafriq’s collaboration could serve as a model for how to close that gap.
A Market Ready for Change
The DRC is particularly significant in this story. It’s one of Africa’s largest and most resource-rich countries, but its financial infrastructure remains weak. High mobile penetration, however, means digital-first solutions like Visa Pay can leapfrog traditional banking barriers. This creates a pathway for millions of people—especially in rural areas—to access services that were previously out of reach.
Looking Ahead
Of course, challenges remain. Adoption will depend on user education, affordability, and network reliability. The success of Visa Pay will also hinge on whether merchants, small businesses, and service providers embrace it as part of their daily operations. But the direction is clear: Africa’s payments landscape is moving from isolated mobile money systems toward integrated, global-ready solutions.
In the end, Visa and Onafriq’s partnership is more than a product launch—it’s a signal that Africa’s financial ecosystem is maturing. The DRC may be just the starting point, but the bigger story is that the continent is increasingly demanding (and receiving) solutions that put it on equal footing with the rest of the world.
