Mastercard and Scale Aim to Advance Card Issuance Enablement for Fintechs and Non-Financial Institutions Across Sub-Saharan Africa

Mastercard and Scale are advancing their collaboration with the aim of simplifying card issuance for fintech companies and non-financial institutions (non-FIs) across Senegal, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Zambia and Zimbabwe. 

This collaboration introduces a unified integration capability designed to help innovators bring virtual and physical card programmes to market more efficiently, reducing the complexity traditionally associated with launching issuing services.

Across many African markets, organisations seeking to offer card-based payment solutions must coordinate with multiple stakeholders, including payment networks, BIN sponsors, and issuing banks, a process that is often slow and complex. Mastercard and Scale are helping to address this challenge through a single integration approach that streamlines onboarding, processing, and compliance requirements, enabling businesses to focus on customer-centric solutions while the combined platform manages operational delivery.

“Across Africa, innovators are creating powerful solutions, yet many are slowed down by the complex steps required to issue cards, which has a significant impact on their business, the market, and their growth. This collaboration with Mastercard removes those hurdles by giving businesses one clear, efficient way to enter the market and scale. It is a major shift that allows innovators to focus on what they do best, building products that meet real customer needs and drive meaningful progress across the continent, while we do the rest” said Miranda Naidoo, Co-Founder & CEO, Scale.

“Today marks an important progression from our 2024 announcement to tangible market enablement. By simplifying the issuing journey, we are supporting fintechs and non-financial institutions as they expand access to digital financial services and bring more consumers and businesses into the formal economy,” said Mete Guney, Executive Vice President, Market Development for Eastern Europe Middle East & Africa at Mastercard.

Mastercard provides access to its global payment network, market expertise and established relationships with banks, while Scale delivers issuing infrastructure, customer onboarding, and regulatory support. Together, the companies are creating a more accessible pathway for fintechs and non-FIs to introduce secure, scalable card programmes tailored to local market needs.

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