Network International and Airtel advance their strategic rollout plan in key markets

Uganda first to go live under pan-Africa Payment Processing Partnership

Network International (Network), a leading enabler of digital commerce across the Middle East and Africa (MEA), in partnership with Airtel Money, the dedicated mobile money platform for Airtel Africa, has begun the rollout of digital payment solutions across key African markets, starting with Uganda. More activations are scheduled for the rest of Africa and Francophone countries in 2025.

As part of this collaboration, Network will provide expertise and support for solutions including transaction processing, card management, fraud prevention, APIs sandbox, reconciliation and settlement, and online access for Airtel users.  

Dr. Reda Helal, Group Managing Director – Processing, Africa and Co-Head Group Processing at Network International, commented: “We aim to cover significant ground on our Airtel rollouts this year after going live in Uganda and make greater strides for our outsourced payments services in Africa. We are excited to add value to Airtel’s capabilities, continue driving the success of Mobile Network Operators, and contribute to financial inclusion across the continent.” 

Ian Ferrao, Group CEO, Airtel Money - Airtel Africa PLC Airtel Group, said: “We are delighted with this major milestone in our partnership and are eager to keep on innovating and elevating our customer experiences with the support of Network’s digital payments expertise. Together, we will pave the way for more citizens to gain access to the continent's growing digital economy.”

Network International provides a full suite of technology-enabled payments solutions to merchants and financial institutions of all types and sizes, including acquiring and processing services and a comprehensive ever-evolving range of value-added services. It currently serves 50 countries across the MEA region, including more than 40 African markets.

Airtel is a leading provider of telecommunications and mobile money services in Africa, operating in 14 countries across the continent primarily in Central and West Africa. It serves over 140 million customers, including nearly 60 million data customers and over 36 million Airtel Money customers.