Verve, Africa’s largest domestic payments card and token brand, has taken a significant step towards expanding its Pan-African presence by officially launching card acceptance across countries in the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA) region, including Senegal, Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, and Togo, among others. This marks a significant milestone in Verve’s journey to building a truly interconnected African payment network.
This expansion is powered by a strategic partnership with GIM-UEMOA, the regional payment switch facilitating interoperability and financial inclusion across the UEMOA region, connecting banks and financial institutions in Francophone Africa. GIM-UEMOA provides the ideal platform to scale Verve’s reach in the region, offering a seamless connection between financial institutions, businesses, and consumers.
At its core, this partnership is about expanding access, unlocking opportunity, and driving shared progress. Through this collaboration, Verve is enabling millions of new users and businesses to access seamless, secure, and inclusive payment experiences, while reinforcing its commitment to innovation that meets the continent’s evolving financial needs.
For consumers, this means the ability to use Verve cards across borders, connect with a wider network of merchants and services, and participate more fully in Africa’s growing digital economy. For businesses and financial institutions, it opens the door to new growth opportunities by providing access to a broader, digitally enabled customer base.
This isn’t Verve’s first bold step. Over the years, the brand has formed strong alliances with global platforms such as Google, AliExpress, Temu, Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Spotify, among others. These partnerships allow Verve cardholders to easily access digital content, lifestyle perks, and everyday functionality, positioning Verve as not just a payment card, but a trusted lifestyle companion.
In keeping with its commitment to consumer engagement, Verve continues to celebrate and reward its users through initiatives like the Verve GoodLife Promo, a campaign that rewards cardholders with exciting perks for everyday transactions. With the expansion into UEMOA, users across these new markets, including tourists, visiting consumers and entrepreneurs, can now look forward to the same rewarding experience that Verve cardholders enjoy in other parts of Africa.
As Verve’s presence grows across the continent, so does its promise to deliver more value, convenience, and memorable experiences to users in every market it enters. This expansion into the UEMOA region brings Verve closer to its vision of connecting Africa through secure and inclusive digital payment solutions. It’s not just about where Verve cards can go, it’s about what they can empower people to do.
Whether you’re a bank looking to broaden your digital offerings, a business aiming to reach more customers, or a consumer ready to experience smarter payments, Verve is here to empower your next step. Join the revolution!
L–R: Paul Ohakim, Vice President, Issuing and Acquiring (Africa), Verve International; Ajibade Laolu-Adewale, Chairman, Committee of e-Business Industry Heads (CeBIH); Serges Adingni, Deputy General Manager, GIM-UEMOA; Dr. Cherry Eromosele, Executive Vice President, Group Marketing and Corporate Communications, Interswitch Group; and Vincent Ogbunude, Managing Director, Verve International, at the recently held press briefing at the Lagos Continental Hotel, Lagos.
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