In an effort to increase the use of digital payments in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the international payments technology corporation, Visa, has announced plans to create local commercial operations in that nation.
Alfred Kelly, Chairman and CEO of Visa, paid a visit to the company to commemorate the opening of its Kinshasa office and a number of partnerships in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Visa brought together stakeholders from the public and business sectors to examine potential that exist to further build the digital payments ecosystem in the DRC, where it is estimated that just a quarter of the population is a part of the financial ecosystem.
With the introduction of new payment credentials and tools to make it easier for more companies to accept digital payments, Visa’s initial collaborations in DRC aim to increase customers’ access to the digital economy.
“Visa’s purpose is to uplift everyone, everywhere by being the best way to pay and be paid, which we accomplish when we include more consumers and merchants in the financial system,” said Kelly.
“This plays a critical role in enabling lasting prosperity, and we look forward to introducing new programs, initiatives and partnerships that can help further accelerate economic and societal progress.”
Visa also announced new initiatives, one of which is a program being started with Vodacom to improve financial inclusion and employment creation for women who have disabilities.
The company has also joined forces with FPM for a three-year agreement, during which time Visa will donate $1 million to a financial literacy initiative geared toward cooperatives, mobile money providers, and educational institutions.
“We look forward to partnering to support the fast-growing financial ecosystem in DRC, while leveraging our payments network to enable both local consumers and businesses to thrive,” said Aida Diarra, Senior Vice President and Head of Sub-Saharan Africa at Visa.