Kenya’s digital payments ecosystem, long regarded as one of Africa’s most advanced, is entering a new phase as industry leaders shift their focus from consumer innovation to the underlying infrastructure that powers transactions at scale.
At a media roundtable held in Nairobi this week by payments infrastructure firm Verto, executives and fintech players said growing trade volumes and cross-border business activity are placing new demands on Kenya’s payments rails—demands that existing systems are increasingly struggling to meet.
Kenya built its reputation on rapid mobile money adoption, enabling millions of consumers to transact digitally. But as businesses expand beyond national borders, participants said the priority is moving toward real-time settlement, interoperability between systems, and clearer pricing for foreign exchange and cross-border transfers.
“Kenya has demonstrated what is possible when innovation meets demand, but the conversation now has to move to infrastructure,” said Mark Mwaniki, Director of Sales – Kenya at Verto. “Businesses want payments that move as fast as their operations. That means fewer intermediaries and systems that can handle both local and cross-border flows efficiently.”
Industry participants said that while consumers have benefited from fast and convenient digital payments, many small and medium-sized enterprises continue to face delays, higher costs, and limited transparency when moving money across borders. These frictions, they said, are particularly pronounced for companies trading within Africa.
According to Mwaniki, infrastructure providers are increasingly focused on connecting domestic payment systems with global networks rather than replacing existing platforms. “The future is about linking what already works in a way that allows money to move securely and transparently across markets,” he said.
The discussions also highlighted the role of regulators, banks, fintechs, and infrastructure firms in shaping the next phase of the ecosystem. Participants said clearer regulatory frameworks and closer collaboration would be necessary to support innovation while preserving financial stability.
As Kenya positions itself as a regional commercial hub, the reliability and efficiency of its payments infrastructure is becoming a competitive issue, rather than just a technical one. Industry leaders said sustained investment in back-end systems—rather than only consumer-facing products—would be critical to maintaining growth.
“Payments are no longer just a support function,” Mwaniki said. “They are a strategic enabler for trade, investment and economic inclusion.”
The consensus emerging from the roundtable was that Kenya’s digital payments journey is far from over, but the emphasis is shifting away from innovation at the edges toward strengthening the core systems that move money every day.