Visa Selects 22 Startups for Fourth Africa Fintech Accelerator
TLDR
- Visa has selected 22 startups for the fourth cohort of its Africa Fintech Accelerator, a 12-week virtual programme aimed at scaling fintech solutions
- The programme is part of Visa’s $1 billion commitment to Africa’s digital and financial inclusion, pledged through 2027
- Launched in 2023, the accelerator has supported 64 startups to date and facilitated nearly 20 active partnerships
Visa has selected 22 startups for the fourth cohort of its Africa Fintech Accelerator, a 12-week virtual programme aimed at scaling fintech solutions across the continent. The programme is part of Visa’s $1 billion commitment to Africa’s digital and financial inclusion, pledged through 2027.
Launched in 2023, the accelerator has supported 64 startups to date and facilitated nearly 20 active partnerships. Visa has also made strategic investments in six past participants. The latest cohort includes startups from 14 African countries and will conclude with an in-person demo day.
Kenya leads the group with five startups: Lemonade Payments, Muda, Sevi, ShopOkoa, and Twiva. Nigeria follows with four: PressPayNg, Shiga Digital, Startbutton, and Vittas. Other selected ventures include Flend and MNZL (Egypt), Hsabati and Woliz (Morocco), BigDot.ai and ChatCash (Zimbabwe), and startups from Uganda, Mauritius, DRC, Ghana, Botswana, Ivory Coast, and South Africa.
Applications for the fifth cohort are open until August 15 for MVP-stage fintechs based in Africa.
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Key Takeaways
Visa’s Africa Fintech Accelerator reflects the growing maturity of the continent’s fintech landscape. By focusing on MVP- and market-ready solutions, the programme identifies ventures ready for rapid scaling and integration into global payment networks. The geographic diversity of the fourth cohort also signals a broader trend: fintech innovation is no longer limited to Nigeria, Kenya, and South Africa. Startups from Botswana, DRC, and Mauritius are now joining regional leaders in addressing core financial infrastructure gaps—such as credit access, embedded finance, and merchant payments. Visa’s direct investments in past cohorts suggest the accelerator serves as both a growth platform and a pipeline for strategic capital deployment. As global payment giants compete for market share in Africa, Visa is positioning itself as a long-term ecosystem builder, not just a payments provider. With applications open for the fifth cohort, the accelerator continues to offer a key gateway for African fintechs seeking validation, partnerships, and distribution at scale.
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