🌍 Introduction: The Cross-Border Opportunity in Africa
Africa’s digital economy is booming, with the e-commerce sector alone expected to surpass $75 billion by 2025. African merchants—ranging from startups and SMEs to export-focused enterprises—are increasingly going global. Yet, cross-border transactions remain complex due to multi-currency settlements, regulatory variations, fraud risk, and banking infrastructure gaps.
To address these hurdles, a new generation of cross-border payment gateways is stepping up, offering African merchants fast, secure, and scalable ways to transact globally. These gateways support USD, EUR, GBP, and local currencies, integrate with e-commerce platforms, and comply with KYC/AML policies across borders.
Below are the top 12 cross-border payment gateways for Africa, ranked based on their ability to facilitate international payments for African businesses.
1. Flutterwave
Headquartered: Nigeria
Coverage: 30+ African countries, US, UK, EU, Asia
Why It Stands Out:
- Accepts payments in 150+ currencies
- Integration with PayPal, Apple Pay, and card schemes
- Offers virtual cards and USD domiciliation
- Cross-border payouts to bank accounts and mobile wallets
Best For: African exporters, SaaS providers, and online marketplaces
2. Paystack (A Stripe Company)
Headquartered: Nigeria
Coverage: Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, Kenya, US
Why It Stands Out:
- Seamless multi-currency checkout
- Stripe’s infrastructure enables smooth international expansion
- Developer-friendly APIs
- Fraud detection and real-time analytics
Best For: E-commerce and service businesses targeting global clients
3. Chipper Cash
Headquartered: San Francisco & Africa
Coverage: 8 African countries + global corridors
Why It Stands Out:
- P2P and business payments across Africa and the West
- Supports local and international currencies
- Mobile-first and low fees
- Crypto payment features
Best For: Freelancers, remittance-based businesses, fintech platforms
4. DPO Group (A Network International Company)
Headquartered: Kenya
Coverage: 20+ African countries
Why It Stands Out:
- Accepts Visa, MasterCard, AmEx, and M-Pesa
- Instant cross-border settlement
- Multi-language and multi-currency checkout
- PCI DSS Level 1 certified
Best For: Tourism, hospitality, education, and global e-commerce players
5. Thunes
Headquartered: Singapore
Coverage: 130+ countries, strong African network
Why It Stands Out:
- Interoperable with mobile wallets, banks, PSPs
- High-speed payouts across continents
- Foreign exchange optimization tools
- APIs for international payment rails
Best For: Enterprises, fintechs, and global marketplaces needing wide coverage
6. Cellulant
Headquartered: Kenya
Coverage: 35+ African countries
Why It Stands Out:
- Connects African consumers to global merchants
- Integrates card payments, bank transfers, and mobile money
- Transparent cross-border fees
- Partnered with global acquirers
Best For: Enterprises with pan-African presence needing international collection
7. PayGate (South Africa)
Headquartered: Cape Town
Coverage: Global reach via DPO integration
Why It Stands Out:
- Full e-commerce stack: subscriptions, fraud tools, 3D Secure
- Integrates with DPO for cross-border coverage
- Accepts 40+ currencies
Best For: South African merchants seeking international reach
8. AZA Finance (formerly BitPesa)
Headquartered: UK & Africa
Coverage: 100+ currency pairs, Africa-focused
Why It Stands Out:
- FX and liquidity provider for African businesses
- Cryptocurrency-powered cross-border settlement
- Fast international B2B payments
- Institutional-grade compliance and KYC
Best For: Import/export companies, financial institutions, cross-border traders
9. Payoneer
Headquartered: USA
Coverage: 190+ countries including Africa
Why It Stands Out:
- Receive payments from US, UK, EU, AU in local African currencies
- Mass payouts for freelancers and global sellers
- Global receiving accounts
- Low FX conversion rates
Best For: Freelancers, Amazon/eBay sellers, SaaS exporters
10. Interswitch
Headquartered: Nigeria
Coverage: West and East Africa, global corridors
Why It Stands Out:
- Cross-border acquiring and settlement
- Multi-channel collections (POS, Web, USSD, QR)
- FX options and corporate accounts
- ISO 8583 and RESTful API support
Best For: Banks, retailers, and payment processors
11. RemitONE
Headquartered: UK
Coverage: 100+ countries, agents across Africa
Why It Stands Out:
- Cross-border remittance infrastructure for B2C and B2B
- White-label platform for payment gateways
- AML/KYC engine built-in
- Integrates with banks, telcos, and MTOs
Best For: Remittance companies and licensed payment processors
12. Kora
Headquartered: Nigeria & Canada
Coverage: Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, and expanding globally
Why It Stands Out:
- Payins in USD, GBP, EUR with instant NGN settlement
- API access for developers and platforms
- Virtual accounts and local compliance features
- Enables African businesses to collect globally
Best For: Fintechs, subscription businesses, and software vendors
🧭 What to Look for in a Cross-Border Gateway for Africa
When choosing a cross-border payment gateway for your African business, consider:
- Multi-Currency Support: Can it handle USD, EUR, GBP, and local African currencies?
- Settlement Speed: Does it offer fast, reliable payouts to local bank accounts or wallets?
- Global Compliance: Is it licensed and compliant in all jurisdictions you operate in?
- Fees and FX Rates: Are the foreign exchange spreads and transaction costs competitive?
- Fraud & Risk Tools: Can it protect you from fraud and chargebacks?
- Integration Flexibility: Does it support your tech stack and preferred e-commerce platform?
🌐 Final Thoughts: Enabling Africa’s Global Ambitions
The global economy increasingly depends on seamless digital trade—and Africa is no exception. With an expanding base of digital-savvy consumers and entrepreneurs, the continent needs payment infrastructure that keeps pace. These top 12 cross-border payment gateways are not just tools—they’re enablers of Africa’s global economic transformation.
Whether you’re selling handmade crafts, digital software, or managing a fintech platform, your ability to transact globally hinges on your choice of payment gateway. Make that choice count.
