Visa has unveiled the 22 startups chosen for the fourth edition of its Africa Fintech Accelerator, with several blockchain-powered ventures making the list. The 12-week program, launched in mid-2023, offers mentorship, product training, networking, and investor access, as part of Visa’s plan to
Invest $1 billion in Africa by 2027 to boost financial inclusion and strengthen the continent’s digital economy.
Among the blockchain beneficiaries is Shiga Digital Inc. (Nigeria), a decentralised finance platform developing tools tailored for African users. Muda (Kenya) also made the cut, offering a cross-border asset exchange and stablecoin liquidity network to ease trade and currency movement. Lemonade Payments (Kenya) is another blockchain-focused startup, delivering white-label wallets designed to protect user data while enabling digital transactions.
Other blockchain-linked selections include BigDot.ai (Zimbabwe), which is helping SMEs reduce their reliance on cash through blockchain-based digital checkouts, and Startbutton (Nigeria), a merchant-of-record platform enabling compliant multi-currency payments across borders, leveraging blockchain in parts of its operations.
While Visa’s accelerator is open to a broad range of fintech innovations, from climate insurance to SME financing, the inclusion of multiple blockchain projects underscores the growing role of decentralised technologies in shaping Africa’s digital payments future.
Since its inception, the accelerator has supported 64 startups from 17 countries, generating over $3 million in revenue during the training phase and attracting $55 million in follow-on funding. Visa has also directly invested in some past graduates, raising expectations that current cohort members could secure similar backing.
This year’s cohort includes participants from 12 African countries, led by Kenya (5 startups) and Nigeria (4), with others from Egypt, Zimbabwe, Morocco, Ghana, Uganda, Mauritius, DRC, Botswana, Ivory Coast, and South Africa.
The 2025 edition of the accelerator opened earlier this year and closed on March 15. It targets Seed to Series A startups with market traction and plans to scale across Africa.
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