Mastercard and Moovn strike five-year deal to expand digital payments across East Africa

Mastercard and Moovn Technologies have signed a five-year strategic deal in a move to expand digital payments services across East Africa, enabling users and businesses to access prepaid cards, online payment solutions, digital wallets, and cross-border money transfers.

The agreement will integrate Mastercard’s payment infrastructure into MoovnPay and the company’s mobility, logistics, e-commerce and merchant platforms targeting drivers, riders, small businesses and consumers looking forward to transacting seamlessly.

The companies will introduce virtual and physical prepaid Mastercard cards, online and in-app payment acceptance, peer-to-peer transfers, and eligible international remittances.

The partnership seeks to expand merchants’ payment services through Pay Local, which is being rolled out across Kenya and Tanzania.

MoovnPay and Shooga, Moovn’s financial inclusion platform for peer-to-peer payments, fundraising and donations, will serve as central components of the integrated wallet ecosystem. Users will be able to access Mastercard prepaid cards through a single digital wallet, while participating merchants will be able to accept payments directly from MoovnPay users as Pay Local expands.

Mastercard’s 2026 SME Confidence Index found that 95% of Kenyan SMEs accept mobile payments, while 80% consider simple and user-friendly payment methods important to their future growth.

Additionally, Africa’s digital payments economy could reach US$1.5 trillion by 2030, according to a Mastercard-commissioned report by Genesis Analytics, reflecting growing demand for digital commerce, financial technology and cross-border transactions.

“Payments are increasingly woven into the platforms people use every day to travel, work and trade. Moovn has built an ecosystem that brings mobility, commerce and financial services together, and Mastercard’s global network and secure technology will help extend its reach. Together, we are opening new pathways into the digital economy for consumers, drivers, merchants and small businesses across East Africa and beyond.”  Said Shehryar Ali, Senior Vice President and Country Manager, East Africa, Mastercard.

The companies also plan to use Mastercard Move to expand cross-border money transfer options for eligible users, allowing MoovnPay to support financial transactions beyond its existing mobility and commerce services.

“Our collaboration with Mastercard is about building more than a payment product. By connecting MoovnPay, Shooga and our mobility, logistics and commerce platforms to trusted global payment capabilities, we are creating an integrated financial and lifestyle ecosystem where participation and trust can unlock greater access, convenience and opportunity for consumers, drivers, merchants and small businesses across Africa.” Added Godwin Gabriel, founder and Group Chief Executive, Moovn Technologies.

The agreement builds on MoovnPay’s participation in Mastercard Start Path’s Emerging Fintech programme, which selected the company among 11 fintechs in September 2025. The companies have since progressed to commercial implementation, including the launch of Mastercard Payment Gateway Services in Kenya.

The next phase will focus on introducing the Shooga prepaid Mastercard portfolio, expanding Pay Local in Kenya and Tanzania, and extending payment gateway, tokenization,a nd digital wallet capabilities as Moovn grows its regional operations.

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