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Equity Group has joined forces with the AfricaNenda Foundation and the Gates Foundation to drive the adoption of Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) across Africa, in a move aimed at expanding financial inclusion, improving digital payment systems and supporting regional trade.
The partnership, unveiled in Nairobi on Tuesday, July 7, will begin in Rwanda before being extended to the Democratic Republic of Congo and other African countries. It seeks to bring together governments, regulators and private sector players to develop interoperable payment systems, trusted digital identity platforms and secure data-sharing infrastructure that will make financial services more accessible.
As part of the initiative, Equity Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Dr. James Mwangi has been named Africa’s first Continental Digital Public Infrastructure Champion. In the new role, he will champion stronger collaboration between governments, development partners and private sector institutions to advance the continent’s digital transformation.
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The partners note that while Africa has recorded remarkable growth in mobile money adoption, close to 400 million people still lack access to formal financial services. They believe investing in interoperable digital infrastructure will help close this gap by reducing transaction costs, widening access to digital payments and encouraging innovation across the economy.
AfricaNenda Chief Executive Officer Dr. Robert Ochola said the partnership builds on Equity Group’s track record in promoting financial inclusion and highlights the important contribution of the private sector 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 said.
The collaboration will focus on expanding interoperable payment systems, strengthening merchant and government payment solutions, supporting cross-border payment networks, providing technical expertise and working with policymakers to speed up the adoption of digital public infrastructure.
Speaking after the signing ceremony, Dr. Mwangi described digital public infrastructure as the next frontier of Africa’s economic development, saying it provides the foundation for governments, businesses and innovators to deliver inclusive digital services.
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“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 said.
The partners also said the initiative will contribute to the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) by enabling seamless cross-border payments, trusted digital identity systems and secure information exchange. They believe these capabilities will lower transaction costs, improve efficiency and unlock new business opportunities across African markets.
The Gates Foundation said its support is intended to ensure that digital public infrastructure delivers tangible benefits to citizens rather than remaining solely a technology-driven initiative.
Senior Advocacy Officer for Africa at the Gates Foundation, Nanjira Sambuli, said the greatest value of digital public infrastructure lies in making financial services more inclusive and improving people’s everyday lives through accessible digital solutions.
AfricaNenda currently works with more than 30 central banks across Africa to strengthen inclusive instant payment systems. Through the new partnership with Equity Group, the organisation expects to accelerate the rollout of practical digital infrastructure models that can be replicated across the continent.
Industry analysts say the partnership marks another milestone in strengthening public-private collaboration to build Africa’s digital economy, where interoperable payment systems and trusted digital identities are increasingly becoming essential for economic growth, financial inclusion and regional integration.
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