Guinea launches NimbaPay, opening a new era of instant and inclusive digital payments – IT News Africa

The Republic of Guinea today launched NimbaPay, its national instant payment system, marking a major milestone in the development of a more connected, more inclusive, and forward-looking economy.

Developed under the leadership of the Central Bank of the Republic of Guinea (BCRG) and implemented by Guinéenne de Monétique (GuiM), NimbaPay enables instant, secure, and interoperable payments between participating financial institutions: banks, electronic money institutions, and microfinance institutions.

Dr. Karamo Kaba, Governor of the Central Bank of the Republic of Guinea, stated:

“There are days when an institution fulfills its mission in the most visible and concrete way possible. Today is one of those days.

By launching NimbaPay, we are not just launching a technological platform. We are equipping our country with a national and sovereign infrastructure, one that will carry, for decades to come, the daily transactions of our citizens, the activity of our businesses, and the modernization of our economy.”

This initiative benefited from the strategic and technical support of the AfricaNenda Foundation, which helped accelerate the development of a modern payment infrastructure designed from the outset to be inclusive and accessible to all. The platform is built on the open-source software of the Mojaloop Foundation, which serves as its technological foundation.

The launch of NimbaPay represents an important step forward in Guinea’s efforts to modernize its financial system and expand access to affordable digital financial services. By removing longstanding barriers between different financial institutions, NimbaPay allows individuals and businesses to transfer money seamlessly across the entire financial ecosystem, regardless of where they hold their account.

For individuals, businesses, and public institutions, NimbaPay offers faster, safer, and more cost-effective ways to send and receive money. The system also lays the groundwork for future innovations in digital finance and supports Guinea’s ambitions for financial inclusion, economic growth, and digital transformation.

For every Guinean citizen holding an account with a participating institution, NimbaPay will provide:

• Instant interoperability between participating banks, electronic money institutions, and microfinance institutions;
• Stronger financial inclusion, by expanding access to secure digital payments nationwide;
• Reduced transaction costs through a more efficient and interoperable payment infrastructure;
• A platform for innovation, fostering the continued growth of Guinea’s digital finance ecosystem and expanding the range of financial products and services available to consumers.

Across Africa, inclusive instant payment systems are now recognized as essential digital public infrastructure. They allow individuals and businesses to transfer funds instantly, securely, and at low cost, while strengthening financial inclusion, encouraging economic participation, and reducing reliance on cash payments.

According to AfricaNenda’s 2025 SIIPS report, Guinea now joins a fast-growing group of 31 African countries with an operational national instant payment system.

Dr. Robert Ochola, Managing Director of AfricaNenda, stated:

“Each new instant payment system brings us closer to an Africa where individuals and businesses can transfer money instantly, safely, and affordably. We are proud to see Guinea join Rwanda and Liberia as the third country where AfricaNenda has successfully supported the launch of a national instant payment system.”

“This achievement reflects the commitment of the Central Bank of the Republic of Guinea, as well as the collaboration of all stakeholders across the payments ecosystem. We are confident that NimbaPay will expand access to digital financial services, drive innovation, and create new opportunities for individuals and businesses throughout Guinea.”

From launch, NimbaPay is available to customers of participating financial institutions: banks, electronic money institutions, and microfinance institutions. They can now make instant transfers between accounts regardless of their financial institution, and gain gradual access to a growing range of digital payment services.

Aly Badara Bérété, Managing Director of Guinéenne de Monétique (GuiM), stated:

“A payment system is only as good as those who bring it to life.

I want to recognize the pioneering financial institutions of this first cohort—your vision and your energy in breaking down barriers between digital systems.”

“I now invite all institutions not yet connected to join the movement. NimbaPay is infrastructure designed to connect you to the entire ecosystem and multiply the value of your services.”

The platform will be progressively expanded to connect a growing number of financial institutions across the country. Upcoming phases will integrate new services, including payments to public administrations as well as cross-border payments, further strengthening Guinea’s digital public infrastructure and supporting the development of regional trade.

Guinea’s digital ambitions are part of its Simandou 2040 program, which plans to invest mining revenues—via a sovereign wealth fund—in infrastructure, education, and economic diversification.

While Guinea’s fintech ecosystem remains relatively young compared to Africa’s most advanced markets, its trajectory is now clearly underway: NimbaPay is building foundational infrastructure there, similar to what has driven the rise of digital finance elsewhere on the continent.