Ethiopia embraces its first domestic credit card
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This rollout will signal a significant step in the country's shift toward formalised, digital financial infrastructure.
Together with OpenWay and SantimPay, a licensed payment system operator whose mission is to build a cashless and connected economy, SanuPay plans to issue 4 million debit and prepaid cards and 5,000 Visa and Mastercard credit cards on OpenWay's Way4 digital payments software platform for issuing, acquiring, switching, and mobile wallet solutions. In addition to card issuance, SanuPay will operate 10,000 point-of-sale (POS) terminals and 200 ATMs nationwide—all running on Way4. The first domestic credit cards are expected to be issued by Oromia Bank, which also intends to offer a co-branded loyalty card in partnership with Sheba Miles.
SanuPay's vision extends beyond Ethiopia. In Kenya, the company is partnering with regional banks and fintechs to digitise card processing, cross-border payments, and remittances, leveraging integrations with local and global payment schemes. In Rwanda, SanuPay will support emerging fintechs in issuing virtual cards, enabling tokenisation, building digital wallets, and integrating mobile payments. OpenWay's Way4 platform has already gained ground in Africa, having been adopted by institutions such as Equity Bank. Its appeal lies in its configurability—95% of functions require no custom development—allowing clients to move quickly in volatile or fast-evolving markets.
While mobile wallets have made strides across Africa, credit cards have lagged, largely due to limited infrastructure and conservative regulatory environments. Ethiopia's entry into domestic credit issuance, represents both a technological and policy shift, laying the groundwork for broader financial access.
SanuPay plans to scale its model regionally and will provide a blueprint for how homegrown fintechs partner with global infrastructure providers will build Africa's next-generation payment ecosystem.
'We have selected the best-in-class solution to provide best-in-class payment services in Ethiopia. By partnering with OpenWay and deploying Way4, SanuPay is enabling a new era of card issuing in Ethiopia and beyond—building resilient, scalable, and compliant infrastructure that supports Africa's digital financial transformation,' said Alfred Gachaga, CEO at SanuPay.
'This collaboration with SanuPay reflects our commitment to empowering innovative financial institutions across Africa,' said Hermann Mike, Regional Director, Sub-Saharan Africa, at OpenWay. 'By leveraging our Way4 platform, Ethiopia is not only launching its first domestic credit card but also laying the foundation for a modern, inclusive, and interoperable payments landscape. We're proud to support SanuPay's vision.'
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