Mastercard has officially opened its first office in Accra, Ghana, on Monday. The corporation wants to expand in West Africa and boost its digital economy. By opening locally, Mastercard hopes to promote financial inclusion and employment creation.

Strengthening local partnerships

Mark Elliott, Division President for Africa at Mastercard, emphasised the importance of this expansion: “Opening our office in Ghana marks an important milestone in our commitment to deepening relationships across the region”.

Read also: Ethswitch, Mastercard digitize Ethiopian payments

The office will focus on developing tailored digital payment solutions that meet the unique needs of Ghanaian consumers and businesses.

Folasade Femi-Lawal, Country Manager and Area Business Head for West Africa added, “We remain committed to attracting and nurturing top talent and fostering an ecosystem that positively impacts the local economy”.

Economic impact

Ghana’s expanding economy offers Mastercard a lot of potential, especially in areas like fintech and digital infrastructure. The company wants to promote innovation by working with regional fintechs and banks, including Fidelity Bank and Access Bank.

Initiatives like the Mastercard Fintech Forum will further enhance dialogue within the financial sector, addressing challenges and promoting knowledge sharing.

Mastercard’s commitment to West Africa continues with offices in Cairo, Casablanca, Johannesburg, Lagos, Nairobi, Mauritius, and now Accra.

This calculated expansion further demonstrates Mastercard’s commitment to promoting a healthy digital economy that benefits Africa in the long run.

Read also: Mastercard invests $27m in three firms

About Mastercard

Mastercard Inc. is a global payment technology company founded in 1966 and headquartered in Purchase, New York.

It operates in over 200+ countries and facilitates electronic payments through its credit, debit, and prepaid cards.

Mastercard partners with financial institutions to process transactions and offers digital payments and transaction security services.

It is the world’s second-largest payment network after Visa and went public in 2006. Its CEO is Michael Miebach.