Visa, a leading player in global digital payments, is inviting fintech innovators from across Africa to submit applications for Cohort 6 of its Visa Africa Fintech Accelerator. The deadline for submissions is firmly set for May 17, 2026.
This new cohort launch follows the success of the recent Cohort 5 Demo Day, which took place during GITEX Africa in Marrakech, Morocco. The event highlighted 18 promising fintech startups from ten African nations, showcasing the vibrancy and variety of the continent’s fintech landscape. Visa noted that the upcoming cohort aims to further reflect the region’s dynamic sector, with solutions addressing diverse financial services and commerce needs across 28 markets.
A notable achievement for African fintech
Visa also disclosed that the accelerator program has supported a total of 104 startups through its first five cohorts, with these companies collectively valued at $1.4 billion. The accelerator offers a rigorous three-month program designed to provide fintech founders with tailored mentoring, strategic advice, and access to Visa’s expansive global network, aimed at facilitating rapid growth and enhancing product offerings.
Enhancing ecosystem collaboration
A key focus of the program is to nurture long-term collaborations among alumni, strategic partners, and Visa itself. This approach has successfully fostered various partnerships within the accelerator’s alumni network:
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Zazu (Cohort 4) and Chari (Cohort 1) have joined forces in Morocco to create a new neobank service for SMEs, leveraging Chari’s Visa-enabled capabilities.
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Credable (Cohort 3), which operates in several countries including Kenya and Zambia, is teaming up with Visa partner Onafriq to introduce innovative digital credit solutions utilizing the Visa Flexible Credential.
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Kredete (Cohort 3) has introduced a stablecoin-linked card in select African markets and is eyeing expansion into the GCC region following strong initial success.
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MoneyHash (Cohort 3) has entered a multi-year partnership to implement Visa’s Cybersource across its platform, enhancing payment acceptance and enabling broader commerce for merchants in the MENA region.
The strength of collaboration
Godfrey Sullivan, Senior Vice President and Head of Product and Solutions for Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East, and Africa at Visa, underscored the significance of these expanding networks. He remarked, “Africa’s fintech narrative is empowered by the increasing collaborative spirit among founders, enablers, and industry leaders.”
Sullivan added, “With the Visa Africa Fintech Accelerator surpassing its milestone of supporting 100 startups, we are witnessing how collaboration can facilitate scale, broaden financial access, and mold the future of digital commerce across the continent.”