Mastercard announced a 45% expansion of its Africa acceptance network, bringing the total number of merchants and points of sale that can process Mastercard payments to a new high. The expansion was announced on December 17, 2025.
The 45% growth lifts the network across 54 African countries, adding new merchants in Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, and Ghana, and expanding the presence of Mastercard’s digital payment solutions in the informal sector.
The move is part of Mastercard’s broader strategy to accelerate digital commerce in emerging markets. By expanding its acceptance network, Mastercard aims to capture a larger share of the projected $1.5 trillion African digital payments market by 2030 and to deepen relationships with small and medium‑sized enterprises (SMEs) that drive local economies.
Mark Elliott, Division President for Africa, said the expansion “has positioned Mastercard to serve more merchants and consumers across the continent, reinforcing our commitment to financial inclusion and digital empowerment.” He added that the company’s new Community Pass and MADE Alliance initiatives will help bring 100 million individuals and businesses online by 2034.
Mastercard has also increased its employee base by nearly 20% across the continent, opening new offices in Ghana, Uganda, and Mauritius over the past two years. The expansion strengthens its competitive position against regional players such as Interswitch and Ecobank. The company’s investment in tokenization, digital identity, and virtual card solutions is expected to improve transaction security and reduce fraud, giving it a pricing advantage in high‑growth markets.
While the announcement does not include a direct financial impact figure, analysts expect the expanded network to drive higher transaction volumes and incremental revenue in the coming years, as more merchants adopt Mastercard’s digital payment solutions.
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