E-Financial
IFC Invests in Wave to Boost Access to Digital Financial Services in West Africa
To spur financial inclusion and support economic growth in Senegal and Côte d’Ivoire, IFC today announced an investment in Wave Mobile Money S.A. (Senegal) and Wave Côte d’Ivoire S.A., mobile money firms that are helping lower prices and expand services in the region.
The investment from IFC and other lenders will help Wave substantially grow its operations in Côte d’Ivoire and Senegal, deepen its product offering, and expand its customer base for mobile money accounts and quality payment services.
IFC arranged a €90 million financing package, comprised of a €25 million loan from IFC’s own account, B Loans of a combined €41 million from Symbiotics, Blue Orchard, responsAbility, and Lendable, as well as parallel loans of €24 million from Finnfund and Norfund.
IFC’s partnership with Wave will help meet the soaring growth in demand for digital payments and mobile money in West Africa in part spurred by the COVID-19 crisis. Access to digital financial services remains limited in the region with only 24 percent of active mobile money accounts compared to 34 percent in East Africa in 2020.
“Wave’s vision of making Africa the first cashless continent, by building affordable and user-centric solutions, matches IFC’s ambitions of universal financial inclusion,” said Coura Sene, Wave Mobile Money’s Regional Director for the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU). “This investment by IFC and other lenders helps us offer a diversity of financial products, encouraging users to stay within the formal financial sector, deepening financial inclusion in the region.”
“Supporting access to financial services for low-income, unbanked populations is a key priority for IFC,” said Aliou Maiga, IFC’s Regional Director for West and Central Africa. “Our investment in Wave will not only promote inclusive finance, but it will also significantly contribute to further advance digital economy solutions in West Africa.”
In addition to helping to finance the companies’ operations, IFC’s support will help establish a mobile money environment where customers are able to transact more often thanks to a simple fee structure and lower transaction costs. This will foster higher frequency of transactions, new payment methods and growing overall value of payments processed by the users, particularly among lower income customers.
In September 2021, IFC invested $5 million as a co-investment with Partech Africa as part of the Series A funding round in Wave Mobile Money Holdings Inc.
IFC has invested or mobilized more than $1.25 billion in the African technology ecosystem over the past six years.
Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) spent N315.18bn on currency issue expenses in 2024, marking a sharp increase of 306 per cent compared to N77.67bn recorded in 2023, the apex bank’s audited financial statement for the year has shown.
Currency issue expenses cover the printing, processing, distribution, and disposal of banknotes.
The latest figures reveal that the CBN’s cost of managing physical cash spiralled dramatically during the year under review, as Nigeria grappled with lingering cash shortages and disruptions in the money supply chain.
The surge in expenditure came as the country continued to deal with the effects of the naira redesign policy introduced in late 2022.
Despite efforts to stabilise cash circulation throughout 2023, Nigerians still faced queues at ATMs and difficulties in accessing cash in early and late 2024.
Faced with mounting public outcry, the CBN deployed several emergency measures to address the crisis.
Deposit Money Banks were directed to ensure consistent ATM loading and rural cash distribution, while the Bank also launched public hotlines for citizens to report cash scarcity incidents.
Also, the CBN ramped up enforcement efforts, including deploying monitoring teams, issuing sanctions against non-compliant banks, and mandating improved cash distribution.
PalmPay, a full-service digital bank, has reaffirmed its dedication to advancing the future of payments in Nigeria by promoting the widespread adoption of contactless-enabled payment terminals.
This was made known during the recently concluded BusinessDay Future of Payment Conference, themed “Fintech Evolution: Gateway to Payments.” In his welcome address, BusinessDay Publisher, Frank Aigbogun, emphasized that the next phase of fintech innovation must be driven not only by speed, safety, and simplicity but also by trust, inclusion, and accessibility to ensure broad-based impact across all segments of society.
Talking about PalmPay’s impact in the panel session titled “The Next Wave of Digital Payments: Trends and Innovation,” Ifeanyi Uzoka, Senior Business Development Manager at PalmPay, discussed the evolving landscape of digital payments in Nigeria.
He noted that while regulatory frameworks have supported the introduction of contactless payments, the high level of cash dependency remains a key barrier to widespread adoption.
“At PalmPay, financial inclusion is central to everything we do,” Uzoka stated. “To support this mission, we’ve launched contactless-enabled debit and premium cards, ensuring our users have access to convenient and secure payment experiences. We also understand that trust is critical, which is why all contactless transactions on PalmPay’s platform include an additional layer of authentication for enhanced security.”
PalmPay continues to lead innovation in Nigeria’s digital finance ecosystem by delivering secure, user-friendly, and future-ready solutions. The company’s recently launched debit and premium cards in partnership with Verve are now serving its growing base of over 35 million users nationwide.
This move into contactless payments underscores PalmPay’s alignment with global payment trends and its ongoing commitment to building a more inclusive and digitally empowered economy.
First Asset Management Limited, a leading investment management firm in Nigeria and a subsidiary of First HoldCo Plc., has announced a significant milestone, the company has surpassed ₦1 trillion in Assets Under Management (AUM).
This achievement reflects the firm’s steadfast commitment to delivering exceptional client service and strong investment performance. It also underscores the trust and loyalty shown by its clients, partners, and stakeholders, which have been instrumental in driving the company’s sustained growth.
Speaking of the milestone, Ike Onyia, Managing Director of First Asset Management Limited, credited the accomplishment to the enduring support of the firm’s clients and stakeholders.
“This milestone is a clear indication of the confidence placed in us by our clients and partners. It highlights the firm’s ability to deliver successful investment outcomes and reinforces its dedication to fulfilling its mandate,” Onyia said.
He went on to express deep appreciation to the firm’s clientele: “The continued partnership of our clients is not taken for granted. Their commitment has been pivotal, and the performance of their investments inspires the team’s dedication to providing best-in-class service. As the firm continues to grow, it remains focused on deploying innovative and forward-looking investment strategies tailored to each client’s financial goals.”
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