Interswitch Expands Partnership with KCB Group to Boost Digital Payments in East Africa

Interswitch Expands Partnership with KCB Group to Boost Digital Payments in East Africa

L-R: Mark Mwongela, Group Director for Strategy & Innovation, KCB, welcomes Mitchell Elegbe, Founder and Group CEO, Interswitch, to KCB Group Headquarters, Nairobi, Kenya.

Interswitch has strengthened its strategic partnership with KCB Group to accelerate the growth of secure, seamless, and inclusive digital payment systems across East Africa, marking a significant step toward deepening financial inclusion in the region.

The renewed collaboration was formalised during a high-level executive meeting at KCB Group’s headquarters in Nairobi, where Interswitch’s Founder and Group CEO, Mitchell Elegbe, led a delegation comprising senior officials from its Lagos and Nairobi offices. The team included Kenya Country General Manager, Bernard Kinara.

They were received by KCB Group’s leadership, including Group CEO, Paul Russo, and Director of Strategy and Innovation, Mark Mwongela.

Discussions centred on scaling digital payment infrastructure and delivering innovative financial solutions tailored to the evolving needs of consumers, businesses, and institutions across the region.

A key highlight of the partnership expansion is the increased acceptance of Interswitch’s Verve cards in Kenya, leveraging its existing relationship with KCB Group. This follows a similar rollout in Uganda in 2022 through KCB’s local franchise.

The collaboration integrates Interswitch’s payment technology, including its card scheme and emerging digital token solutions, with KCB Group’s extensive banking network. This will enable broader acceptance of Verve cards and tokenised payments across KCB’s merchant point-of-sale systems in Kenya and Uganda.

Industry stakeholders say the move is expected to enhance interoperability within payment ecosystems, drive merchant acquisition, and improve access to secure, cashless transactions for millions of users.

Speaking on the development, Elegbe described the partnership as a strategic alignment of technology and regional reach.

“Our collaboration with KCB Group represents a powerful alignment of vision and capability. By combining our technology-driven payment solutions with KCB’s strong regional presence, we are unlocking new opportunities to scale access, drive innovation, and deliver greater value to customers across East Africa,” he said.

Both organisations reaffirmed their commitment to building resilient and interoperable financial systems that support economic growth and broaden participation in Africa’s rapidly evolving digital economy.