Sylvia Duruson
KaiOS Technologies and Mastercard have joined forces to integrate digital payment solutions for small businesses in Africa and other emerging regions. This collaboration aims to leverage KaiOS’s affordable smart feature phones with Mastercard’s payment technology and global network to drive digital payment acceptance and support economic growth.
The partnership addresses the challenges faced by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in developing markets, where adopting digital payments often involves high costs and technical hurdles. These obstacles have hindered SMEs’ participation in the digital economy and limited inclusive growth.
Initially focusing on Côte d’Ivoire and Nigeria, the partnership will enable small business owners to accept digital payments using KaiOS devices and Mastercard’s QR Pay by Link. Plans are in place to introduce tap-and-go contactless payments technology in the near future.
Jorn Lambert, Mastercard’s chief product officer, emphasized the importance of meeting people where they are today to move forward together. The goal is to simplify digital payment acceptance for merchants across various scales, from micro-merchants in Côte d’Ivoire to enterprises in Indonesia.
KaiOS Technologies’ CEO, Sebastien Codeville, highlighted the company’s mission to connect underserved communities with the digital world. By integrating Mastercard’s secure payment technology into affordable Internet phones running KaiOS, new opportunities are being created for small businesses and entrepreneurs.
This partnership builds on KaiOS’s previous initiatives, including the introduction of affordable merchant payment terminals resembling feature phones. The company has conducted pilot programs in Nigeria’s informal transport sector and with merchants in Côte d’Ivoire.
The collaboration extends to various partners in African markets. Touch and Pay Technologies (TAP) and Wizzit are among the companies working with Mastercard and KaiOS to expand access to in-market merchants.
TAP CEO Olamide Afolabi views the integration of KaiOS into their platform as a crucial step in enabling millions of feature phone users to access digital payment solutions and financial services previously out of reach.
Wizzit’s Chief Operating Officer, Dirk Bruynse, believes that this partnership will help expand secure payment acceptance solutions across Africa and beyond. He anticipates that the collaboration will set new benchmarks for efficiency and drive greater financial inclusion.
This initiative aligns with Mastercard’s recent activities in Africa. In April 2024, the company partnered with pan-African payments firm Onafriq to enhance secure payments for consumers and SMEs across the continent. Additionally, Mastercard invested $200 million in MTN Group’s fintech business in February 2024.
By combining KaiOS’s affordable technology with Mastercard’s global payment infrastructure, this partnership aims to transform the landscape of digital payments in Africa. It represents a significant step towards financial inclusion and economic empowerment for small businesses across the continent.
