APN calls for urgent mobile money interoperability across Africa

Africa Prosperity Network (APN) is calling for urgent mobile money interoperability across Africa. In a statement following the Africa Forward Summit, APN commended the emphasis placed on Africa's digital future, inclusive innovation, and alignment with African Union frameworks and priorities. APN stressed that the real challenge remains implementation. APN identified the accelerated implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Digital Trade Protocol adopted in 2024 as a key priority.

APN described continent-wide mobile money interoperability as an urgent necessity for Africa's economic integration. APN said global mobile money transactions exceeded US$2 trillion in 2025, with Africa accounting for about 66 percent of the global transaction value. The continent alone processed an estimated US$1.43 trillion in mobile money transactions last year. Approximately 1.2 billion mobile money accounts are currently registered across Africa, representing more than half of all global accounts. The organization is urging African leaders, central banks, regulators, fintech firms, and payment platforms to work urgently toward a continent-wide interoperable mobile money system. According to APN, "One of the fastest ways of making Africa borderless is making Africa digitally borderless."

APN says it remains ready to support dialogue, implementation tracking, and private sector engagement to ensure the AfCFTA Digital Trade Protocol delivers real benefits. APN also called on Africans and businesses to support its campaign for faster economic integration, revealing that more than 120,000 Africans have already signed a petition backing the initiative.