AfricaNenda partnered with Rwanda to support the development and evolution of eKash, providing technical guidance, capacity building, and advisory support on governance and system design. Through this collaboration, Rwanda transformed eKash into a locally owned, open-source, and sustainable payments platform that connects banks, mobile money providers, and merchants. In the following Q&A, our Technical Payments Specialist shares key insights from the project, highlighting the challenges, pivotal decisions, and lessons learned that can guide other countries seeking to build inclusive and interoperable digital payment systems.

Q1. What was the most challenging moment in the eKash project, and how did the team overcome it?

The most challenging part of the eKash project was agreeing on a business and operating model that could work for many different types of participants, especially mobile money operators and banks, MFIs, and SACCOs.

These participants work under different regulations, costs, revenue models, and risk levels. As a result, it was difficult to design a model that felt fair and workable for everyone, without favoring one group over another. This initially slowed agreement among participants.

This was addressed by positioning eKash as a national shared infrastructure rather than a commercial platform. Governance was strengthened, the system operator was restructured to ensure neutrality, and the approach to cost recovery and incentives was clearly defined. Once participants understood that the goal was national interoperability for the public good, rather than competition with their existing business models, alignment improved and adoption increased.

Q2. Which key decision had the biggest impact on how the project ultimately performed?

The most impactful decision was to restructure the system operator to improve governance, neutrality, and accountability, with strong and clear guidance from both the policymaker and the regulator.

This helped address key issues around trust, decision-making, and alignment with national payment system goals. The regulator clarified that the system served the public interest, while the policymaker made it clear that interoperability was a national priority, not just a commercial option.

As a result, governance was strengthened, regulatory oversight was reinforced, and participants gained more confidence that the system was designed to serve the entire market, not individual players.

This reset in governance made everything else possible, including stronger participant support, the ability to enforce interoperability, and more structured risk management.

Q3. What surprised you most when the project moved from design to implementation?

What surprised me most was that the participant who initially resisted the initiative later became one of the early adopters of the system.

At the beginning, the dominant market player was hesitant. However, once governance was strengthened and the policy and regulatory direction became clear, that same participant moved quickly to integrate.

This showed that the initial resistance was not due to technical limitations, but rather a lack of clarity around governance, incentives, and the long-term direction of the system.

Q4. If another country were to launch a similar initiative, what would you advise them to prioritize early—or do differently?

From the eKash experience, we would advise countries to focus on governance, trust, and incentives before technology.

• First, set up the institutions correctly from the start. Make sure the system operator is neutral and credible, with a clear separation between governance and operations, and strong regulatory oversight. Clear rules on ownership, decision-making, and accountability early on help avoid resistance later, especially from dominant participants.

• Second, design the business and risk model to reflect the differences among participants. Mobile money operators and banks face different challenges and incentives. Recognizing this from the start builds confidence and prevents long delays during implementation.

• Third, be clear and firm about the national direction. Interoperability succeeds when it is seen as national public infrastructure, supported by official designation, mandates if needed, and aligned regulatory expectations. In eKash, once this was clear, adoption increased quickly, even among participants who were hesitant at first.

Finally, invest early in operational readiness and capacity building—not just the technology. Areas like fraud management, customer support, internal processes, and change management are critical to real-world success.

If I could do one thing differently, it would be to strengthen governance and participant readiness even earlier, instead of assuming they will follow naturally once the technology is in place.