The event’s official press conference is currently taking place at the Ministry of Digital Transition, Posts and Electronic Communications, marking the beginning of preparations for a forum that will bring together leading stakeholders from across the UEMOA region.

This year’s edition highlights the growing role of Artificial Intelligence (AI), FinTech and financial inclusion in reshaping financial services, driving innovation and strengthening digital sovereignty across member states.

On 14 and 15 July 2026, Ouagadougou will welcome policymakers, industry experts, businesses, startups and institutional partners to discuss innovative solutions that can foster a more inclusive digital economy throughout the UEMOA region.

Through this event, the organizers aim to encourage collaboration, promote knowledge sharing and identify practical strategies to accelerate digital transformation while unlocking the full potential of AI and financial technologies for sustainable economic development.

The post Artificial Intelligence, FinTech and Financial Inclusion Take Center Stage at SIPEN-UEMOA 2026 appeared first on .

The gathering focused on how inclusive and accessible digital infrastructure can create greater opportunities for young people across Africa. It also provided Wave with an opportunity to showcase its financial inclusion mission at one of the continent’s leading sports and cultural events.

Taking place shortly after the Africa CEO Forum, the Business Brunch further reinforced Kigali’s position as a hub for discussions on growth, innovation, and African leadership. For Wave, the event highlighted the growing connection between youth culture, entrepreneurship, digital finance, and economic inclusion.

The panel featured prominent figures including BAL President Amadou Gallo Fall, Wave Mobile Money Regional Director and Head of Public Affairs Coura Tine Sène, Bank of Kigali CEO Dr. Diane Karusisi, and Rwanda’s Minister of State for ICT and Innovation, Yves Iradukunda. Discussions explored how cultural platforms, financial infrastructure, institutional investment, and supportive public policies can work together to promote youth entrepreneurship and inclusive growth.

Wave emphasized the importance of providing simple, reliable, and affordable financial services to support the ambitions of Africa’s increasingly entrepreneurial youth. Whether they are content creators, business owners, athletes, or innovators, access to suitable financial tools remains a key driver of progress.

“Across Africa, the next generation is creating its own opportunities, building businesses, and contributing to the continent’s economic transformation. Our mission is to make financial services accessible enough to support this momentum every day,” said Coura Tine Sène. She also noted that Wave’s partnership with the BAL helps connect financial inclusion with entrepreneurship, culture, and youth ambition.

Beyond brand visibility, Wave aims to contribute to the strategic conversations shaping Africa’s economic future. The company seeks to expand economic participation for students, informal sector workers, entrepreneurs, creators, and emerging talents.

The discussions also underscored the importance of stronger collaboration between governments, financial institutions, private sector players, and cultural platforms. As Africa’s digital economy continues to grow rapidly, sustainable inclusion will depend on bridging the gap between innovation, access to services, and the real needs of communities.

Through its involvement in basketball and youth-focused initiatives, Wave views sport as a powerful platform for engagement and impact. This approach enables the company to embed its mission in spaces where young Africans learn, create, innovate, and build their futures.

For Wave, financial inclusion goes far beyond access to an account or payment service. It means integrating simple, reliable, and affordable financial solutions into people’s daily lives to support their projects, businesses, and aspirations.

By participating in this high-level discussion, Wave Mobile Money reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening the links between sport, culture, innovation, and economic inclusion, with the goal of delivering meaningful impact across African communities.

The post Wave Mobile Money Highlights Youth Financial Inclusion at the Basketball Africa League (BAL) Business Brunch in Kigali appeared first on .

Banks, electronic money institutions, microfinance institutions, and payment service providers have been given until June 30, 2026, to complete their integration into the system, according to the central bank’s latest directive.

Launched on September 30, 2025, the PI-SPI platform enables real-time transactions, operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It is designed to facilitate seamless digital payments among financial actors within the Union, while significantly reducing transaction costs and processing times.

As of April 2, 2026, a total of 80 institutions across the region are already connected to the platform. These include 59 banks, nine electronic money institutions, 11 microfinance institutions, and one payment institution. In parallel, 42 additional entities are currently undergoing live testing, with deployment expected in the near term.

The BCEAO has called on all remaining stakeholders to accelerate both technical and administrative preparations in order to meet the established deadline. The objective is to ensure full regional coverage and guarantee effective access to payment services for end users.

This initiative forms part of a broader strategy to modernize financial infrastructure within UEMOA. It aims to deepen financial inclusion by expanding access to digital payment services for individuals and businesses alike.

While enhanced interoperability is expected to boost economic exchanges across the Union, the announcement also reflects a firmer stance by the central bank in driving adoption. This approach addresses ongoing hesitations among certain operators, often linked to structural and economic constraints.

Ultimately, the interoperability framework is poised to create a unified payments market within UEMOA—lowering costs, improving financial inclusion, and strengthening regional economic integration. Despite the steady rise of electronic payments, the ecosystem remains fragmented among banks, fintech companies, and mobile network operators, underscoring the importance of this transformative initiative.

The post The BCEAO sets a June 30th ultimatum to integrate the PI-SPI system appeared first on .

Licensed by the Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO), Ollo Africa focuses on the digitalization of traditional tontines and collective savings mechanisms through its platform Ohana Africa.

“This capital increase marks a turning point for Ollo Africa. It validates our approach: digitalizing tontines while preserving their social essence. Our first users confirm every day that we are meeting a real need. The trust of our investors, especially the arrival of an American partner, gives us the means to scale up and reach hundreds of thousands of African families over the next 24 months,” said Mawuna Koutonin, CEO of Ollo Africa.

The funds raised will finance an acquisition campaign in Togo, the technological development of the platform, the strengthening of teams, and financial education initiatives. The stated goal is rapid growth and a gradual expansion across the WAEMU (UEMOA) region.

To date, around 5,000 family accounts are already managed in Togo, according to the company based in Atakpamé, in a context where more than 40% of adults in West Africa regularly participate in tontines or informal savings groups, based on World Bank data cited by the firm. These mechanisms represent annual flows estimated at several hundred billion CFA francs within the WAEMU area.

The fintech still has a significant market to conquer, especially in a region where banking penetration remains relatively low. It already benefits from a strategic partnership with Ecobank, aimed at securing financial flows and facilitating banking integration. The company highlights its proprietary technology adapted to regional cultural and linguistic realities.

The post Togo: Ollo Africa scales up with record capitalization appeared first on .

More than three years after Sony and Honda announced the creation of their joint venture, capitalized at 10 billion yen and aimed at launching a new shared brand called AFEELA, Sony has confirmed one of the most anticipated features of its upcoming vehicle, scheduled for release next year.

PlayStation Remote Play Comes to the Cabin

In an official statement, Sony Honda Mobility revealed that it will become the first automaker to natively integrate PlayStation Remote Play into a production vehicle. Similar in concept to the PlayStation Portal, this feature will allow users to stream their PS4 and PS5 games directly within the AFEELA 1.

Unlike cloud gaming services, this is not server-based game streaming. Instead, the vehicle connects remotely to the user’s PlayStation console at home, displaying and running games installed locally on that PS4 or PS5. Performance will therefore depend heavily on network quality and connection stability.

A New Vision of In-Car Entertainment

“With the introduction of PS Remote Play, AFEELA brings its vision of mobility to life by transforming travel time into an immersive and emotional experience,” said Izumi Kawanishi, President and COO of Sony Honda Mobility. “This integration marks a new milestone, elevating passenger entertainment to an unprecedented level.”

That said, some observers may regret the absence of a fully embedded PS5 architecture within the vehicle itself. Such an approach would have enabled local gameplay, free from network constraints, and delivered a more consistent gaming experience. Given that the first AFEELA model is expected to be priced around $90,000, the lack of an onboard console may raise eyebrows.

Still Some Questions Ahead of 2026 Launch

AFEELA emphasizes that its integrated features are designed both for stationary moments such as charging stops and for keeping passengers entertained during long journeys. However, the company has yet to confirm whether a DualSense controller will be included with the vehicle.

The first deliveries of the AFEELA 1 are expected in 2026, positioning the car at the crossroads of electric mobility, digital entertainment, and next-generation in-car experiences. A bold move clearly aimed at drivers who see their vehicle as more than just a means of transport.

Source:SHM

The post PlayStation is coming to the cabin: this car will allow you to play PS4 and PS5 games from 2026 appeared first on .

The initiative seeks to enable users of mobile wallets such as M-PESA Africa and Flutterwave to send and receive money internationally through a PayPal payment button, without the need to create a traditional PayPal account.

This interoperability model is designed to reduce transaction friction and costs, while opening up global e-commerce access to millions of African users who have historically been excluded from international payment systems.

Backed by a $100 million investment, the project aligns with the rapid growth of Africa’s digital payments market, which is estimated to reach $1.5 trillion by 2030.

This strategic move could significantly reshape the continent’s cross-border financial flows, positioning mobile money as a central pillar of Africa’s integration into the global digital economy.

The post PayPal World aims to connect African mobile money to global e-commerce by 2026 appeared first on .

Online payments continue to expand rapidly in Africa, driven by the rise of mobile services and e-commerce. However, limited access to secure and interoperable digital payment tools still constrains financial inclusion for a large share of the population.

Orange Money Group and Visa announced on Friday, December 12, in Casablanca that they signed a strategic partnership to facilitate online payments and strengthen financial inclusion across Africa and the Middle East. The collaboration aims to broaden the use of digital financial services as e-commerce and cashless payments accelerate across the region.

Speaking at the announcement, Orange Money Group Chief Executive Officer Thierry Millet said the partnership marks a key milestone in the group’s strategy. “From now on, individuals and entrepreneurs can create their virtual Visa card in seconds and pay online internationally across the entire Visa network. This first step in our strategic partnership brings Orange Money closer to a clear objective: becoming a payment method accepted everywhere, from major e-commerce platforms to local merchants,” he said.

Operationally, the partnership centers on integrating a Visa virtual card directly into the Orange Money ecosystem through the Max it application. Users can generate their card in a few clicks, fund it from their mobile wallet and pay for online purchases on local and international websites. Orange Money initially rolled out the solution in pilot markets such as Botswana, Madagascar and Jordan. The company has since introduced the service in Côte d’Ivoire and plans to expand it to additional countries, including Guinea, Burkina Faso and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Orange Money also plans to launch a physical version of the card to support broader use cases.

The initiative comes as Africa consolidates its position as a global engine of mobile money growth. According to GSMA data, the continent recorded more than one billion registered mobile money accounts in 2024 and accounted for over 70% of global mobile money transactions. At the same time, e-commerce continues to grow, supported by rising internet and smartphone penetration, although limited access to international online payment methods still restrains adoption. By combining Visa’s global acceptance network with Orange Money’s strong local footprint, the partnership aims to address this structural gap.

By leveraging Orange Money’s local presence — with more than 45 million active accounts across 17 African countries — and Visa’s international acceptance network, the partnership could help narrow the digital payments divide. Over time, it aims to integrate millions of users and small businesses into the digital economy by providing payment tools aligned with the requirements of online commerce while reinforcing financial inclusion across the continent.

The post Orange Money, Visa Team Up to Expand Online Payments in Africa appeared first on .