Africa’s drive to build interoperable digital payment systems, digital identities and trusted data networks is gathering momentum as new initiatives seek to accelerate the rollout of UNDP’s Africa Accelerator for Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI)
- •The DPI is a cornerstone of efforts to expand financial inclusion, modernise public services and deepen regional integration.
- •Meanwhile Equity Group Holdings, the AfricaNenda Foundation and the Gates Foundation have formed a strategic partnership to help scale interoperable digital infrastructure across the continent.
- •As part of the partnership, Equity Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Dr. James Mwangi was appointed Africa’s inaugural Continental Digital Public Infrastructure Champion.
The parallel initiatives reflect growing recognition that Africa’s digital transformation will depend not only on expanding internet and mobile access but also on building shared digital systems that allow governments, businesses and citizens to securely exchange data, verify identities and make seamless digital payments
Despite rapid progress in mobile connectivity, significant gaps remain. Africa has grown from just 25 million mobile phone subscriptions in 2001 to more than one billion today, yet over 500 million people still lack a verifiable digital identity, while more than 80% of the continent’s workforce remains in the informal economy, limiting access to financial services and government programmes
To help bridge those gaps, will support governments throughout the lifecycle of national DPI programmes by providing technical expertise, policy support, institutional capacity building, investment mobilisation and assistance in developing bankable projects
“The biggest barrier to scaling Digital Public Infrastructure across Africa is not political will. It is the lack of structural financing and investment-ready national projects,” said Ahunna Eziakonwa, Assistant Secretary-General and Director of UNDP’s Regional Bureau for Africa
UNDP Chief Digital Officer Robert Opp said the next challenge is to connect fragmented digital initiatives into integrated ecosystems that can support responsible artificial intelligence adoption while delivering services at scale
The DPI Champion
Complementing that effort, Equity Group, AfricaNenda and the Gates Foundation said they will work together to accelerate the practical implementation of Digital Public Infrastructure through stronger public-private partnerships
As part of the partnership, Equity Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Dr. James Mwangi was appointed Africa’s inaugural Continental Digital Public Infrastructure Champion, a role that will see him advocate for interoperable digital infrastructure to accelerate financial inclusion and regional integration
Mwangi said Digital Public Infrastructure represents the next phase of Africa’s economic transformation by lowering the cost of delivering trusted digital services while enabling innovators and businesses to build solutions on common digital platforms
“We are not asking governments to surrender ownership of public infrastructure. Instead, we are demonstrating how the private sector can partner with governments to accelerate the implementation of critical digital infrastructure such as digital identity and interoperable digital payments,” he said
The collaboration will combine AfricaNenda’s policy and technical expertise with Equity’s regional banking network and digital payments capabilities to support interoperable payment systems, digital payment innovation, cross-border payment ecosystems, regulatory engagement and knowledge sharing across African markets
AfricaNenda Chief Executive Robert Ochola said the partnership aims to build practical Digital Public Infrastructure models that can be replicated across 20 to 30 countries, noting that nearly 400 million Africans remain excluded from formal financial services
“Digital Public Infrastructure cannot succeed without private-sector participation. Equity brings the execution capability, market reach and innovation needed to move this agenda from policy to implementation,” he said
UNDP said Digital Public Infrastructure has emerged as a critical foundation for improving public service delivery, broadening economic participation and supporting implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which is projected to unlock a market worth an estimated US$450 billion
