Mastercard has announced a strategic partnership with enza, a regional payments technology company, to drive fintech innovation and expand digital payment access across Africa. The collaboration aims to simplify how fintechs and businesses connect to Mastercard’s global network, offering seamless and secure payment solutions to millions across the continent.

Africa’s fintech ecosystem has experienced exponential growth, nearly tripling in size since 2020, according to the European Investment Bank. Yet, many startups still face significant barriers in scaling their operations—particularly around building reliable payment infrastructure. By leveraging enza’s platform, fintechs can now integrate directly with Mastercard, unlocking a broad range of capabilities including digital wallets, prepaid and postpaid accounts, and issuing physical or virtual Mastercard cards.

This integration also enables merchants to accept Mastercard payments across various channels—from point-of-sale terminals to e-commerce platforms and mobile applications—enhancing reach and convenience for businesses and consumers alike.

“Mastercard is committed to accelerating the growth of Africa’s fintech landscape by enabling secure and scalable access to our global payments infrastructure,” said , Executive Vice President, Market Development, Mastercard EEMEA. “Partnering with enza allows us to empower a new generation of African innovators with the tools they need to thrive.”

Founded in 2023 and headquartered in Abu Dhabi, operates regionally with offices in Egypt, Nigeria, and South Africa. The company’s mission is to make digital payments more affordable, accessible, and efficient across emerging markets. According to , Executive Director at enza, the collaboration with Mastercard will help eliminate the cost and complexity of building payment systems from scratch, enabling fintechs to go to market faster with enterprise-grade security and compliance.

“This partnership ensures that African fintech innovators can focus on building user-centric financial services without worrying about backend infrastructure,” said Key. “We’re accelerating innovation and making payments work better for everyone.”

Beyond technology enablement, the partnership also supports Mastercard’s broader commitment to . Micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs)—which form the backbone of many African economies—will benefit from faster onboarding, enhanced digital capabilities, and improved access to global markets.

As Mastercard and enza deepen their collaboration, they are expected to unlock new opportunities for innovation in payments, remittances, and digital financial services. Whether it’s enabling mobile payments, streamlining merchant acceptance, or expanding access to banking tools, the partnership is poised to reshape Africa’s digital economy.

“Together, we’re building a more connected, inclusive, and digitally empowered Africa,” said Guney.