Kagame discusses digital payments with African stakeholders
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Imvahonshya
Rwandan President Paul Kagame met African private-sector representatives to discuss developing digital payments between countries, expanding access to financial services and facilitating trade. The meeting took place on 27 October 2026, according to the presidency, with Equity Group Holdings’ James Mwangi and AfricaNenda Foundation’s Robert Ochola among those attending.
Rwandan President Paul Kagame on Tuesday discussed the development of digital public infrastructure, cross-border electronic payments and financial inclusion with representatives of an African coalition, according to the Rwandan presidency. The delegation was led by James Mwangi, chief executive of Equity Group Holdings, and Robert Ochola of the AfricaNenda Foundation.
The participants also examined how such cooperation could contribute to the African Continental Free Trade Area, the agreement aimed at increasing trade between countries on the continent. Discussions focused in particular on extending financial services to more citizens and simplifying cross-border commercial transactions.
In Rwanda, 96% of adults, or about 7.8 million people, had access to financial services in 2024, compared with 93% in 2020, according to the National Institute of Statistics’ FinScope survey. Nearly 86% had used telephone payment services.
Rwanda’s e-Kash system, which links several financial institutions for transfers and payments, had recorded more than 10.5 million transactions worth over 960 billion Rwandan francs by 6 August 2026, according to RSwitch, the company that operates it. Transactions between financial institutions had increased by 166%.
