Financial Transformation in Africa Advances with Strategic Partnership Between Orange and Mastercard in Pursuit of Cashless Fiscal Landscape

Orange and Mastercard Partner to Expand Mobile Financial Services in Sub-Saharan Africa

Orange Middle East and Africa (OMEA) and Mastercard have formed a partnership to expand mobile financial services in Sub-Saharan Africa. The collaboration aims to empower millions of Orange Money wallet holders to make digital payments through Mastercard's global merchant network by 2025.

Aminata Kane, CEO of Orange Money Group, Middle East and Africa, is enthusiastic about the collaboration with Mastercard. "This partnership is a significant step towards furthering financial inclusion and driving the continent's digital transformation," she said.

Orange's strategy with this partnership is to offer more efficient and seamless payment solutions to its customers. Through this new partnership, Orange Money customers will be able to obtain virtual or physical debit cards linked directly to their Orange Money wallets. Virtual debit cards can be requested through Orange's Super App, Max It, while physical cards can be collected at specified Orange Money Mastercard points of sale.

With this integrated network, customers will have the convenience and flexibility to make secure digital payments, both locally and when traveling internationally. The partnership will enable Orange Money customers to pay with their Mastercard-linked wallets when traveling abroad and shop online with ease.

The collaboration will be rolled out in seven countries: Cameroon, Central African Republic, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Senegal, and Sierra Leone. Orange currently has over 160 million customers and 37 million active Orange Money accounts across 17 countries. However, the exact countries within Orange's African footprint where the partnership will be implemented were not specified in the search results.

Orange has faced challenges in Burkina Faso, where nearly 15% of its telecom sites have become inaccessible due to regional conflict. Despite these challenges, the company remains committed to its mission of boosting financial inclusion and supporting Africa's digital transformation.

In September 2022, Orange Money partnered with Cellulant to enable card-to-wallet transfers in Botswana. The partnership between Orange and Mastercard represents a promising future for digital payments in Sub-Saharan Africa, empowering individuals and businesses alike to participate in the growing digital economy.