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This blog is part of a series documenting our program’s journey to accelerate the development of inclusive payments systems for universal access to financial services in Africa. #IAmAfricaNenda

Data: The Key to Unlocking Inclusive Instant Payments in Africa
Africa’s financial services sector is undergoing a significant transformation, in part through the rapid expansion of instant payment systems (IPS). These open-loop retail payment systems enable irrevocable, low‑value, digital credit push transactions in near real-time for use 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Making them inclusive and widely available across Africa has the potential to drive financial inclusion, given the power of payments to motivate people to sign up for accounts and use them.
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Financial inclusion
Addressing Small and Medium Enterprise digital payment gaps in Africa, Part II
As the May 2024 Visa Payments Forum in Istanbul revealed, SMEs in Africa are at a crossroads. The first blog in this series outlined three key challenges that limit financial inclusion for small and mid-sized businesses (SMEs) in Africa.
Financial inclusion
Recognizing Small and Medium-Sized Enterprise Digital Payments Gaps in Africa, Part I
Did you know that only 35% of payments received by surveyed Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) in Sub-Saharan Africa are digital? While many of us mindlessly pull out a card or our mobile phones to make payments, we often take for granted that this convenience depends on businesses accepting them.
Instant payment systems