E-commerce in Africa gets boost from new fintech partnership

• E-commerce in Africa has received a timely boost with digital payment giants Pesawise and Cross Switch have teaming up to accelerate the segment’s growth.
• Their collaboration aims at addressing persistent challenges of fragmented payment systems, high transaction fees, and slow settlements.
• The firms say their partnership is poised to deliver tailored, regulatory-compliant solutions that ensure speed, security, and affordability.

Global payments innovator Cross Switch has teamed up with Kenya’s homegrown fintech Pesawise, creating an alliance that seeks to accelerate the growth of e-commerce in Africa and deepen mobile money adoption across the continent.

Launched during the sidelines of increasing demand for agile, secure, and affordable digital payments, this partnership promises to revolutionize how African businesses—especially small and medium-sized enterprises—accept and process payments. The collaboration also addresses key challenges that have long hindered scalable commerce in Africa: fragmented payment systems, high transaction fees, and slow settlements.

The potential of e-commerce in Africa is estimated to hit roughly $75 billion this year.

Powering Africa’s growing e-commerce economy

Cross Switch’s unified, cloud-native platform helps simplify payments across all channels—Visa, Mastercard, AmEx, mobile money, and bank transfers. By integrating with Pesawise’s locally trusted and Central Bank of Kenya-licensed payment service infrastructure, the partnership delivers tailored, regulatory-compliant solutions that ensure speed, security, and affordability.

This collaboration is tailored to empower merchants from e-commerce platforms to delivery services, hospitality firms, and even approved crypto exchanges to accept diverse payment methods with minimal friction. With Cross Switch’s active footprint across South Africa, Ivory Coast, Morocco, and Latin America, and Pesawise’s deep local insights, the alliance bridges global technology with local needs.

Mobile money catalysing financial inclusion in Africa

One of the most significant pillars of this partnership is its potential to accelerate mobile money adoption in Africa. In a continent where traditional banking services remain inaccessible to millions, mobile money platforms such as Safaricom Plc’s M-Pesa have already demonstrated the power of financial inclusion.

Pesawise and Cross Switch combined solution is tailor-made for emerging markets—streamlining payments for individuals and businesses in both urban and remote settings. With a single API, merchants can tap into the region’s growing mobile-first economy, allowing users to pay through wallets or mobile banking apps with ease and transparency.

“We share a mission with Pesawise to democratize technology and drive social impact across Africa. This partnership embodies that mission by providing simple, powerful tools for everyday business,” stated Cross Switch CEO Tim Davis.

Boosting trust in e-commerce in Africa

For e-commerce in Africa to thrive, trust and operational efficiency are paramount. Pesawise—headquartered in Nairobi—has earned its place as a go-to Tier-1 banking integrator through its robust reconciliation systems, stringent compliance, and top-tier fraud prevention tools. These strengths enhance customer trust and merchant confidence, both vital ingredients in scaling e-commerce platforms.

“Together, we aim to strengthen the digital payments ecosystem in Kenya,” noted Jamal Khan, CEO of Pesawise. “We’ve already scored significant wins, such as powering Glovo Kenya, by blending Cross Switch’s expertise with our localized agility.”

Their collective offering reduces transaction costs, accelerates settlements, and simplifies reconciliation—critical factors for e-commerce platforms and SMEs who struggle with fragmented financial systems.

Read also: E-commerce surge poises Kenya for economic leap

A future-proof solution for Africa’s entrepreneurs

Africa’s digital transformation is no longer a question of if but how fast. The Cross Switch–Pesawise model is a prototype of future-ready fintech that integrates scalable payments infrastructure, deep regulatory alignment, and social impact.

Their tech stack supports not only digital merchants but also nonprofits, logistics companies, and international businesses seeking secure, transparent, and cross-border payment solutions. From virtual accounts to localized collections and instant payouts, the offering is built to future-proof African businesses.

With e-commerce in Africa projected to grow exponentially—driven by rising internet penetration, smartphone access, and a young digital-native population—solutions such as this one promise to be transformational.

A partnership to drive mobile payments

Beyond the technology, what sets this partnership apart is a shared commitment to values: inclusion, innovation, and customer-centricity. Whether it’s a rural shop owner needing to accept mobile payments or a global enterprise expanding into East Africa, the Cross Switch–Pesawise duo delivers accessible, enterprise-grade solutions.

By focusing on simplicity, security, and scalability, the two firms are not only closing the digital divide—they’re enabling African economies to own their e-commerce evolution and lead in mobile-first innovation.

As Africa’s fintech revolution intensifies, partnerships such as that of Cross Switch and Pesawise are setting the tone for inclusive growth. They demonstrate that with the right technology, local knowledge, and regulatory compliance, mobile money adoption and e-commerce in Africa can thrive—not just in Nairobi and Lagos, but from coast to coast.