Solidaire Banque, a Kinshasa-based financial institution, has signed a three-year partnership with global payments company Visa to strengthen electronic payment services in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The agreement is part of broader efforts to modernize the country’s financial infrastructure and expand access to digital banking solutions.
Under the partnership, Solidaire Banque plans to launch new debit cards across Classic, Platinum, and Infinite segments, as well as prepaid products tailored to individual and business clients. The bank will also develop targeted credit services for premium customers, leveraging Visa’s global network to expand its product offerings and reach.
On the technology side, the collaboration will integrate Visa Pay, a platform enabling the instant issuance of virtual payment cards. The system is designed to support the bank’s digital transition and meet growing demand for mobile payment solutions, which have surged in the DRC in recent years.
“This partnership with Visa will accelerate Solidaire Banque’s transformation into a leading digital bank, providing convenient, secure, and accessible payment solutions for our customers,” a bank spokesperson said.
For Visa, the agreement reinforces its presence in the DRC, where it opened its first Central Africa office in 2022. The company also plans to collaborate with the Central Bank of Congo to modernize national financial infrastructure and promote interoperability across banks and digital payment platforms.
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The move comes amid rapid growth in mobile payments and financial inclusion in the DRC. According to the GSMA, financial inclusion has reached 50%, up from 38.5% in 2022, largely driven by mobile money services that reported approximately 23.1 million users in early 2024. Mobile penetration in the country is estimated at 60.4%, giving banks an opportunity to capture a growing share of digital transactions, which remain dominated by telecommunications operators.
Regulatory frameworks are also evolving to support this growth. Authorities are implementing a national financial inclusion strategy for 2023–2028, including the establishment of a national interbank electronic payments group to coordinate transactions across the banking sector and improve connectivity between financial institutions.
Industry analysts project that the expansion of digital technologies in the DRC could generate around 11,800 billion Congolese francs (roughly $5.1 billion) in additional economic value by 2029. The sector could also create nearly 2.5 million jobs and increase tax revenues by approximately 3,000 billion Congolese francs.
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By combining Visa’s global expertise with Solidaire Banque’s local network, the partnership is expected to accelerate the adoption of electronic payments, enhance financial inclusion, and support the DRC’s broader economic development goals.
Digital payments are expanding rapidly in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) as banks and financial technology companies seek to increase financial inclusion in one of Africa’s largest but least banked economies.
The partnership between Solidaire Banque and Visa comes at a time when the Congolese financial sector is undergoing gradual modernisation, driven by rising mobile phone usage, expanding internet access and government efforts to digitise financial services.
Low Banking Penetration
Despite its population of more than 100 million people, the DRC has historically had very low levels of formal banking access. According to industry estimates, less than 20% of adults hold a bank account, leaving a large portion of the population reliant on cash transactions and informal financial services.
This has created a major opportunity for banks and payment networks to introduce digital banking solutions that allow individuals and businesses to send, receive and store money electronically.
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Role of Mobile Money
Much of the early growth in digital payments in the DRC has been driven by mobile money services offered by telecom operators. These platforms allow users to perform financial transactions through mobile phones without needing traditional bank accounts.
Telecommunications companies such as Vodacom Congo and Airtel Congo have played a leading role in expanding mobile-based payments, helping millions of people gain access to basic financial services.
However, banks are increasingly entering the digital payments space in order to compete with telecom-led mobile money systems and offer more advanced financial products.
Visa’s Expansion in Africa
Visa, one of the world’s largest electronic payment networks, has been expanding partnerships with banks across Africa to support the shift from cash to digital transactions.
The company works with financial institutions to provide card payment infrastructure, digital wallets, and secure payment technologies that allow customers to make transactions locally and internationally.
In emerging markets such as the DRC, Visa partnerships often focus on expanding card issuance, enabling online payments and strengthening payment security systems.
Solidaire Banque’s Position
Solidaire Banque is a Congolese commercial bank that focuses on retail banking and financial services for small businesses and individuals.
Like many banks in the country, it has been seeking to expand its digital banking capabilities in response to changing consumer behaviour and increasing demand for electronic payments.
Partnerships with global payment providers can allow local banks to introduce international debit and credit cards, contactless payments and digital banking platforms.
Government Push for Financial Inclusion
Authorities in the DRC have also been encouraging the expansion of digital financial services as part of broader efforts to strengthen financial inclusion and reduce reliance on cash.
The country’s central bank, Banque Centrale du Congo, has introduced regulatory reforms in recent years aimed at improving payment systems and supporting digital banking innovation.
These reforms are intended to make financial services more accessible while improving transparency and efficiency within the financial system.
Regional Digital Finance Growth
The expansion of digital payments in the DRC also reflects a broader trend across Africa, where governments, banks and fintech firms are investing heavily in digital financial infrastructure.
Electronic payments are seen as critical for supporting economic growth, facilitating trade, improving tax collection and enabling access to credit for small businesses.
Against this backdrop, partnerships between local banks like Solidaire Banque and global networks such as Visa are expected to play a growing role in modernising the Congolese financial sector and connecting it more closely with international payment systems.
