AfricaNenda is an Africa-based, African-led non-profit advisory organization focused on accelerating the adoption, scale, and inclusion of instant payment systems across the continent. Its mission is to reduce barriers to building “instant and inclusive payment systems” so that more people — especially those currently excluded from formal finance — can easily make and receive payments.

The organization emphasizes neutrality and being technology-agnostic: it does not own or operate payment systems itself, but instead provides advisory services, technical support, capacity building, and knowledge tools.

Key Functions & Services

AfricaNenda supports stakeholders behind the scenes to deploy inclusive payment infrastructure. Some of its core services include:

Pre-project support: Helping define vision, objectives, stakeholders, and structure for payment projects.

Scheme design & structuring: Assisting with workplans, budgets, partner identification, and technical architecture.

Readiness assessment: Evaluating economic feasibility, inclusiveness, and design gaps.

Institutional capacity building: Offering expertise, training, and technical assistance to central banks, ministries, and regional bodies.

Advocacy & policy support: Engaging governments, regulators, and private sector to create supportive policies.

Knowledge & tools: Publishing reports, playbooks, frameworks, case studies, and training modules, including the well-known State of Inclusive Instant Payment Systems (SIIPS) series.

Organizational Structure & Governance

AfricaNenda is governed by a leadership team and overseen by an Advisory Board. It is independent from funders, though it receives support from donors such as foundations. Importantly, it does not take ownership of the projects it helps design or implement.

Achievements & Projects

Supported multiple national and regional payment initiatives across different African regions, such as COMESA, SADC, WAEMU, and Rwanda.

Helped mobilize significant funding for inclusive payment system projects.

Co-produces the SIIPS annual report, which tracks progress and highlights challenges in instant payments across Africa.

In 2024, strengthened its status as an independent foundation and expanded technical support to more countries.

Values, Vision & Guiding Principles

AfricaNenda’s long-term vision is universal financial inclusion across Africa by 2030.

Its guiding values include collaboration, equity, knowledge, innovation, excellence, neutrality, and trust. A strong emphasis is placed on inclusivity, ensuring that low-income, rural, and marginalized populations are part of payment system design and access.