Equity Group, AfricaNenda in digital infrastructure drive

Equity Group has partnered AfricaNenda Foundation and the Gates Foundation to accelerate the development of Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) across Africa.

The initiative is expected to lure more people into formal financial system, strengthen digital payment systems and support cross-border trade. The initiative was announced in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi yesterday, July 7, and will be initially rolled out in Rwanda before expanding to the Democratic Republic of Congo and other African markets.

A press statement from the launch noted that the initiative “seeks to bring together governments, regulators and the private sector to build interoperable digital payment systems, trusted digital identities and secure data exchange platforms that make financial services more accessible across the continent.”

As part of the partnership, Dr. James Mwangi, the managing director and chief executive officer of Equity Group, was appointed Africa’s inaugural Continental Digital Public Infrastructure Champion, a role that positions him to advocate for greater collaboration between governments, development partners and the private sector in advancing Africa’s digital transformation agenda.

The partners say Africa has made significant progress in mobile money adoption, yet nearly 400 million people remain locked out of formal financial services. They argue that interoperable digital infrastructure will help bridge this gap by lowering the cost of financial services, improving access to digital payments and enabling innovation across sectors of the economy.

AfricaNenda chief executive officer Dr. Robert Ochola says the collaboration builds on Equity Group’s experience in expanding financial inclusion and demonstrates the critical role the private sector can play in implementing digital public infrastructure.

“Digital Public Infrastructure cannot succeed without private- sector participation. Equity brings the execution capability, market reach and innovation needed to move this agenda from policy to implementation,” he says.

The partnership will focus on developing interoperable payment systems, strengthening merchant and government payment solutions, supporting cross-border payment ecosystems, providing technical assistance and engaging policymakers to accelerate adoption of digital public infrastructure across the continent, according to a press statement.

Speaking after the signing ceremony, Mwangi says digital public infrastructure represents the next phase of Africa’s economic transformation because it creates a foundation on which governments, businesses and innovators can build inclusive digital services.

“Digital Public Infrastructure provides the foundation for inclusive digital financial services that reach every citizen. We will continue working with governments, regulators, development partners and the private sector because this infrastructure has the potential to transform economies, expand opportunity and improve lives across Africa,” he says.

The Gates Foundation says its support for the initiative is driven by the need to ensure digital public infrastructure delivers practical benefits for citizens rather than remaining a technology initiative alone. AfricaNenda currently works with more than 30 central banks across the continent to strengthen inclusive instant payment systems.

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