The Africa Prosperity Network (APN) has welcomed the renewed focus on digital transformation and artificial intelligence at the recent Africa Forward Summit, while calling for urgent action to implement continent-wide mobile money interoperability and accelerate Africa’s digital trade agenda.

In a statement issued after the summit and signed its founder, Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko. APN praised African leaders for reaffirming commitments toward inclusive innovation and digital development aligned with African Union priorities.

However, the organization cautioned that Africa’s challenge has never been the lack of vision, but rather the slow pace of implementation.

According to APN, the immediate priority should be the accelerated operationalization of the AfCFTA Digital Trade Protocol, which was adopted in 2024 as part of efforts to deepen economic integration across the continent.

The organization noted that despite broad political support for digital trade, many African countries are yet to establish practical implementation mechanisms.

APN is therefore urging governments and stakeholders to develop concrete roadmaps that include pilot projects focused on cross-border e-commerce, harmonized data governance systems, and digital identity recognition frameworks to facilitate seamless trade among African countries.

Mobile Money Interoperability Declared Urgent Priority

A major focus of the statement was the need for continent-wide mobile money interoperability. APN described mobile money as Africa’s most successful digital finance innovation but warned that fragmented payment systems continue to limit cross-border trade, remittances, SME growth, and investment opportunities.

The organization highlighted the explosive growth of the sector, revealing that global mobile money transactions surpassed US$2 trillion in 2025, doubling from the first trillion-dollar milestone within just four years.

Africa alone accounted for approximately 66% of the global mobile money transaction value, processing an estimated US$1.43 trillion during the year.

APN further noted that nearly 1.2 billion mobile money accounts are now registered across Africa, representing more than half of all mobile money accounts globally.

Despite this progress, the organization lamented that Africans still face major barriers when attempting to send or receive money seamlessly across borders using mobile wallets.

Call to Central Banks, Regulators and Fintech Firms

APN called on African governments, central banks, regulators, fintech companies, and payment platforms to urgently collaborate toward creating a unified interoperable mobile money ecosystem across the continent.

According to the organization, enabling Africa’s estimated 1.5 billion people to trade freely across borders using mobile money wallets would significantly boost intra-African commerce, logistics, transportation, investment, and market integration.

“Indeed, one of the fastest ways of making Africa borderless is making Africa digitally borderless,” the statement emphasized.

The organization added that the benefits of digital integration extend beyond trade, with potential gains in e-health, e-commerce, employment creation, and wealth generation, especially for Africa’s rapidly growing youth population.

APN Pledges Support for Digital Integration Agenda

APN reaffirmed its readiness to support dialogue, monitor implementation progress, and deepen private sector engagement to ensure that the AfCFTA Digital Trade Protocol delivers tangible benefits for businesses, women, youth, and underserved communities across the continent.

The statement, signed by APN Founder and Executive Chairman, Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko, also urged Africans and businesses to support the campaign for economic integration by joining over 120,000 Africans who have already signed the movement’s petition advocating faster continental integration.