Smart
Africa Alliance and AfricaNenda have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
to support capacity building for policy and decision-makers on digital payments
and financial inclusion for the creation of a single digital market in Africa.
In a
statement issued following a brief signing ceremony, it noted that under the MoU,
Smart Africa Alliance and AfricaNenda will carry out strategic intervention
around the development and adoption of open standards for interoperable and
inclusive payment systems in line with existing mechanisms on the continent.
It
further stated that both partners will engage in joint advocacy for policy harmonization
and host high-level convening events targeting both public and private stakeholders
to accelerate financial inclusion across Africa.
Commenting
on this strategic MoU signature, Dr. Robert Ochola, CEO of AfricaNenda said:
“If we are to close the gap of the four hundred million financially excluded
adults within our continent, we need to enable universal access to formal
financial services.”
He added that, “We understand the
significance of partnerships-led initiatives in the scale-up of digital
payments. Through this partnership with Smart Africa, we seek to strengthen the
capacities of decision-makers on efforts that deliver towards universal access
to inclusive payment systems.”
The CEO of Smart Africa, Lacina
Koné started, “We are very pleased to join forces with AfricaNenda at this
particular time where digital payments and financial inclusion are more than
critical for the socio-economic development of the continent.”
“Building
and enhancing capacities of Africa’s decision and policymakers on digital
payments will contribute to reinforce our vision to create a single digital
market in Africa by 2030,” he stated.
By: Kanto Okanta