This archive report was first published on 26 June 2021.
On June 26, 2021, Visa, the world leader in digital payments, highlighted its commitment to accelerating financial inclusion in Sub-Saharan Africa through innovation and partnerships.
At the 2021 Visa Africa Innovation for Inclusion Summit, Aida Diarra, Senior Vice President & Group Country Manager for Sub-Saharan Africa at Visa, emphasized the importance of collaboration in developing market-ready payment solutions. “We continue to partner with leading players in Sub-Saharan Africa, including banks, fintechs, neobanks, and telecommunications companies, to enable new payment experiences that accelerate inclusion across the region,” she said.
Visa has made significant strides in the past decade, focusing on collaborations that enable access to digital payments. The company has partnered with key players to develop products that expand access to digital payments at scale, including a partnership to serve over 30 million mobile money customers.
Visa’s Head of Innovation and Product Design, Central Europe, Middle East, and Africa (CEMEA), Akshay Chopra, discussed the capabilities necessary to accelerate future payment experiences and solve real consumer and merchant needs. “To foster real inclusion, we need tangible, customer-centric solutions that engage with key trends and the latest Visa technologies through design processes,” he said.
Chopra also highlighted the company’s ability to adapt to changing circumstances, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, which has challenged the need for remote innovation engagements. Since the onset of the pandemic, Visa has delivered over 120+ remote engagements, leveraging its team’s expertise in running productive engagements regardless of location.
