Mastercard Expands Presence in Africa, Strengthens SME and Financial Inclusion Drive.
Mastercard has significantly stepped up its expansion across Africa over the past two years, reinforcing its long-term commitment to the continent’s digital and economic transformation. The company has opened new offices in Ghana, Uganda and Mauritius, while additional market launches are planned for 2026. During the same period, Mastercard increased its workforce in Africa by nearly 20%, deepening local expertise and supporting the development of solutions designed specifically for African consumers and businesses.
Alongside its physical expansion, Mastercard has invested heavily in digital infrastructure to enhance trust and security in payments. These investments include upgrades to tokenization technology, expanded digital identity solutions and improved virtual card capabilities, all aimed at making both online and in-person transactions safer and more convenient.
SMEs as a Strategic Priority.
Small and medium-sized enterprises remain central to Mastercard’s Africa strategy. As consumer spending continues to grow across key markets—such as Nigeria, Kenya, Morocco and South Africa—demand for efficient digital payment solutions has increased. For SMEs, these tools are critical for managing payments, accessing credit, strengthening resilience and operating securely in an increasingly digital economy.
Mastercard’s SME-focused solutions range from tap-on-phone technology and point-of-sale systems to e-commerce enablement through the Mastercard Payment Gateway System (MPGS). The company also offers QR-based payment options, including QR-on-card and pay-by-link solutions, as well as business payment controls that support virtual card issuance.
Through collaborations with governments, financial institutions, FMCGs and telecom companies, Mastercard has launched 15 SME-focused initiatives across Africa in the past 18 months. These partnerships are designed to simplify cross-border payments, expand access to credit and accelerate marketplace digitization.
Impact Across Key Markets.
In South Africa, Mastercard has worked with both financial and non-financial partners to improve financial inclusion, address access-to-credit challenges and help thousands of SMEs scale sustainably.
In Morocco, the company co-developed the country’s first digital marketplace in partnership with BCP, the Ministry of Handicrafts and Paysky, supporting an estimated 2.3 million artisans.
Nigeria has seen major rollouts, including QR-on-card solutions developed with UBA and Wema Bank, enabling 1.8 million SMEs and gig workers to accept digital payments. In addition, USD card solutions launched with Zenith Bank are supporting over 50,000 SMEs engaged in cross-border trade.
Across Kenya, Mauritius and Tanzania, partnerships with institutions such as NMB, AfrAsia, Family Bank, KCB and others have helped empower more than 200,000 SMEs with digital financial tools.
Advancing Financial Inclusion in Underserved Communities.
Beyond SMEs, Mastercard is scaling efforts to bring digital services to underserved and rural communities through its Community Pass initiative. This social enterprise platform connects remote populations to governments, NGOs and private-sector services by digitizing identities and access points.
Mastercard aims to register 15 million Community Pass users in Africa within five years. So far, the initiative has reached 1.2 million smallholder farmers in Uganda, underscoring the company’s focus on inclusive growth.
The company is also a key driver of the Mobilizing Access to the Digital Economy (MADE) Alliance, which targets digital inclusion for 100 million people and businesses by 2034. Since its launch in May 2024, the alliance has delivered tangible impact in Kenya, including affordable high-speed internet access, digital training for farming cooperatives, the digitization of over 80,000 farmer profiles through Farm Pass, and capacity-building programs reaching 250,000 farmers.
Leadership Perspectives.
Mark Elliott, Division President for Africa at Mastercard, described 2025 as a milestone year for the company on the continent. He said Mastercard’s focus on acceptance growth, innovation and partnerships is helping integrate more individuals and small businesses into the digital economy, supporting Africa’s journey toward a projected $1.5 trillion digital economy by 2030.
Folasade Femi-Lawal, Country Manager for West Africa, highlighted the region’s rapid digital growth, noting that Mastercard’s security-driven innovations and acceptance expansion have enabled more SMEs and young entrepreneurs to adopt modern payment solutions.
Looking Ahead.
Mastercard expects emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and agentic commerce to shape the future of commerce in Africa. With the continent’s AI market projected to reach $16.5 billion by 2030, the company plans to continue expanding into new markets in 2026, while rolling out more locally relevant digital solutions and strengthening the infrastructure needed for a secure, connected and inclusive digital economy.
About Mastercard.
Mastercard operates in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide, supporting economies and empowering people through secure, simple and accessible digital payment solutions. By combining technology, innovation, partnerships and global networks, Mastercard helps individuals, businesses and governments achieve their full potential.
