A new partnership between Equity Group, AfricaNenda Foundation and the Gates Foundation is set to accelerate the development of Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) across Africa in a move expected to expand financial inclusion, strengthen digital payment systems and support cross-border trade.
The initiative, announced in Nairobi on Tuesday 7th July 2026, will initially be rolled out in Rwanda before expanding to the Democratic Republic of Congo and other African markets. It seeks to bring together governments, regulators and the private sector to build interoperable digital payment systems, trusted digital identities and secure data exchange platforms that make financial services more accessible across the continent.
As part of the partnership, Equity Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Dr. James Mwangi has been appointed Africa’s inaugural Continental Digital Public Infrastructure Champion, a role that positions him to advocate for greater collaboration between governments, development partners and the private sector in advancing Africa’s digital transformation agenda.
The partners say Africa has made significant progress in mobile money adoption, yet nearly 400 million people remain excluded from formal financial services. They argue that interoperable digital infrastructure will help bridge this gap by lowering the cost of financial services, improving access to digital payments and enabling innovation across sectors of the economy.
AfricaNenda Chief Executive Officer Dr. Robert Ochola says the collaboration builds on Equity Group’s experience in expanding financial inclusion and demonstrates the critical role the private sector can play in implementing digital public infrastructure.
“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 says.
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The partnership will focus on developing interoperable payment systems, strengthening merchant and government payment solutions, supporting cross-border payment ecosystems, providing technical assistance and engaging policymakers to accelerate adoption of digital public infrastructure across the continent.
Speaking after the signing ceremony, Dr. Mwangi says digital public infrastructure represents the next phase of Africa’s economic transformation because it creates a foundation on which governments, businesses and innovators can build inclusive digital services.
“Digital Public Infrastructure provides the foundation for inclusive digital financial services that reach every citizen. We will continue working with governments, regulators, development partners and the private sector because this infrastructure has the potential to transform economies, expand opportunity and improve lives across Africa,” he says.
According to the partners, the initiative will also support implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) by enabling seamless cross-border payments, trusted digital identity systems and secure exchange of information between participating countries. These capabilities are expected to reduce transaction costs, improve efficiency and create new opportunities for businesses operating across African markets.
The Gates Foundation says its support for the initiative is driven by the need to ensure digital public infrastructure delivers practical benefits for citizens rather than remaining a technology initiative alone.
Senior Advocacy Officer for Africa at the Gates Foundation, Nanjira Sambuli, says the true value of digital public infrastructure lies in expanding financial inclusion and improving people’s daily lives through accessible digital services.
AfricaNenda currently works with more than 30 central banks across the continent to strengthen inclusive instant payment systems. Through its collaboration with Equity Group, the organisation expects to accelerate implementation of practical digital infrastructure models that can be replicated across multiple African markets.
Analysts view the partnership as another step towards deeper public-private collaboration in Africa’s digital economy, where interoperable payment systems and trusted digital identity are increasingly recognised as critical infrastructure for economic growth, financial inclusion and regional integration.
