Onafriq, a pan-African digital payments network, has appointed Simon Black as the chair of the board of its UK holding company. This follows Black's appointment as an independent non-executive director. Black's extensive background in the fintech industry, including his role as chief executive of PPRO from 2015 to 2023, positions him as a key figure in Onafriq's next phase of growth.

During his tenure at PPRO, a Germany-based payments infrastructure provider, Black oversaw the company's international expansion and significant revenue growth, exceeding $113 million annually. Prior to PPRO, he served as CEO of Sage Pay, a UK-based payments firm that catered to small and medium-sized businesses. His experience in scaling fintech businesses and navigating complex payment ecosystems makes him well-suited to support Onafriq's mission.

Onafriq, with a presence in over 40 African markets, aims to streamline the continent’s fragmented payments landscape. The company integrates banks, mobile wallets, and fintech apps to facilitate interoperability and cross-border transactions. It claims to connect more than 500 million mobile wallets and 200 million bank accounts across 42 African markets.

Dare Okoudjou, the founder and CEO of Onafriq, emphasized the importance of Black’s appointment, stating that it comes at a transformative moment for the company. Okoudjou believes Black’s experience in scaling fintech leaders and navigating complexity will be instrumental in strengthening Onafriq’s position as Africa’s payments infrastructure backbone and accelerating financial inclusion throughout the continent.

Black's responsibilities as Chair will include providing strategic oversight to the company’s executive leadership, guiding cross-border growth ambitions, and focusing on global partnerships and long-term value creation. He expressed his commitment to Onafriq's mission of making borders matter less across Africa and enabling seamless commerce at an unprecedented scale.

Despite raising over $200 million in capital from investors, Onafriq faces challenges such as currency instability, uneven regulation, and high transaction costs. Black’s experience is expected to help the company navigate these hurdles and expand its cross-border services.

Black brings over three decades of experience in building and scaling payments and technology platforms. His track record includes transforming high-potential fintech and software businesses into market leaders. At Sage Pay, he orchestrated tenfold revenue growth, establishing the company as a leading force in SME e-commerce payments. His appointment underscores Onafriq's commitment to assembling world-class leadership to propel its infrastructure across Africa and beyond.