Mastercard Partnered to Secure African Payments
New collaborations aim to integrate fraud protection software into regional instant payment infrastructures across Africa.
Updated on Oct. 4, 2026 in Financial Crime
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Mastercard has entered into partnerships with the Mojaloop Foundation and AfricaNenda to enhance fraud prevention within African payment systems. This initiative follows a year in which the region processed over $2 trillion in instant payments.
Why it matters
Scaling account-to-account payments across the continent requires increased trust and consumer protection. These partnerships aim to address the high rates of daily scam attempts currently impacting users and providers.
Official reports indicate 15 percent of adults encounter a scam every day. The investigation into long-term systemic vulnerabilities is ongoing as partners deploy new fraud software.
The players
Mastercard
Mastercard is a global technology company in the payments industry that connects consumers, financial institutions, and governments.
Mojaloop Foundation
The Mojaloop Foundation is a nonprofit organization that facilitates the development of open-source payment software to increase financial inclusion.
AfricaNenda
AfricaNenda is an organization dedicated to accelerating the growth of instant and inclusive payment systems across African nations.
The details
Mastercard will integrate its A2A Protect solution directly into the open-source Mojaloop infrastructure to boost security. The effort combines real-time payment expertise with AfricaNenda's regional policy engagement and governance support.
Timeline
In 2024, African instant payment systems processed 64 billion transactions totaling $2 trillion.
Mastercard announced these new strategic partnerships on October 4, 2026.
Legal Context
The initiative addresses security concerns arising from the rapid expansion of African instant payment systems to 36 live platforms. This reflects a broader trend of integrating advanced cybersecurity protocols into emerging digital financial infrastructures.
The implementation of the A2A Protect solution aims to reduce the daily frequency of scams for consumers using digital payment platforms. Residents across the continent can expect more robust security measures as these technologies are integrated into their existing systems.
The takeaway
Securing digital infrastructure is essential for maintaining consumer confidence in emerging instant payment markets. Users should remain vigilant against daily scam attempts while these new protective measures are being deployed.
Further reading
Learn more about evolving digital security measures in Financial Crime.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Businessday NG.
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