Ethiopia has launched its first domestic credit card through a partnership between SanuPay, a new East African card technology firm, and global digital payments provider OpenWay. The initiative, announced on Tuesday, marks a major step in the country’s transition to a formal digital financial infrastructure.
SanuPay to issue 4 million debit and prepaid cards
SanuPay intends to issue 4 million debit and prepaid cards and 5,000 Visa and Mastercard credit cards on OpenWay’s Way4 digital payments software platform for issuing, acquiring, switching, and mobile wallet solutions in collaboration with OpenWay and SantimPay, a licensed payment system operator whose goal is to create a cashless and connected economy.
SanuPay will use Way4 to run 200 ATMs and 10,000 point-of-sale (POS) terminals across the country in addition to issuing cards. Oromia Bank, which plans to offer a co-branded loyalty card in collaboration with Sheba Miles, is anticipated to issue its first domestic credit card.
Beyond Ethiopia
Sanupay’s mission is not limited to Ethiopia. Using integrations with regional and international payment systems, the company works with fintechs and regional banks in Kenya to digitise remittances, cross-border payments, and card processing.
SanuPay will assist up-and-coming fintechs in Rwanda with tokenisation, digital wallet development, virtual card issuance, and mobile payment integration.
Institutions like Equity Bank have already embraced OpenWay’s Way4 platform, which has gained traction in Africa. Its flexibility—95 per cent of its features don’t require custom development—makes it appealing because it enables clients to act swiftly in erratic or rapidly changing markets.
State of mobile wallets and credit cards in Africa
Mobile wallets have advanced significantly in Africa, but credit cards have not, primarily because of a lack of infrastructure and strict regulations. Ethiopia’s foray into domestic credit issuance is a technological and policy change that sets the stage for wider financial access.
SanuPay intends to expand its business model regionally and will offer a model for developing Africa’s next-generation payment ecosystem through local fintechs collaborating with international infrastructure providers.
SanuPay and OpenWay experience enthusiasm
“We have selected the best-in-class solution to provide best-in-class payment services in Ethiopia. By partnering with OpenWay and deploying Way4, SanuPay is enabling a new era of card issuing in Ethiopia and beyond—building resilient, scalable, and compliant infrastructure that supports Africa’s digital financial transformation,” said Alfred Gachaga, CEO at SanuPay.
“This collaboration with SanuPay reflects our commitment to empowering innovative financial institutions across Africa,” said Hermann Mike, Regional Director, Sub-Saharan Africa, at OpenWay. “By leveraging our Way4 platform, Ethiopia is not only launching its first domestic credit card but also laying the foundation for a modern, inclusive, and interoperable payments landscape. We’re proud to support SanuPay’s vision.”
About SanuPay
SanuPay is a cutting-edge third-party payment processor whose headquarters is located in the United Arab Emirates. It was developed specifically to provide financial institutions throughout Africa with top-notch digital payment capabilities.
About SantimPay
SantimPay, a licensed payment system operator under Ethiopia’s National Bank, is at the forefront of advancing secure, compliant, and efficient payment infrastructure. Its goal is to facilitate smooth transactions and enable quick, dependable payments in order to create a cashless and connected economy.
About OpenWay
According to Gartner, Aite (Datos Insights), Ovum (Omdia), Juniper Research, and PayTech, OpenWay is the only best-in-class supplier of digital payment software solutions for card issuing, digital wallets, merchant acquisition, BNPL, transaction switching, tokenisation, and fleet payments. PayTech is also the top provider of cloud payment systems. OpenWay has been selected as a strategic partner by leading banks, processors, and forward-thinking fintech companies.