Thunes, the Smart Superhighway to move money around the world and Ecobank Group, the leading pan-African financial institution, today announced a collaboration which will enable instant cross-border payments for millions of individuals and businesses across Sub-Saharan Africa.
The partnership operationalises the landmark memorandum of understanding signed between Ecobank and Transfer To, Thunes’ holding company, in 2024. That agreement envisioned a fundamental transformation of financial access and cross-border payment solutions across Africa.
This new chapter of financial access will see a large-scale integration between banking and fintech infrastructures, making it easier for people and businesses to send, receive, and manage money instantly across borders.
Faster settlements, simpler access to liquidity, and broader reach will also unlock new possibilities for growth and participation in the digital economy.
How many countries does Ecobank operate in?
The pan-African deployment will progressively expand across Ecobank’s entire 32-country operational footprint, in line with local regulations in each market. This phased continental rollout further aims to connect Ecobank customers to Thunes’ Direct Global Network, which spans over 130 countries and connects to 7 billion mobile wallets and bank accounts worldwide.
By combining Ecobank’s extensive and deep local presence with Thunes’ trusted Direct Global Network, the alliance empowers entrepreneurs to trade beyond borders, families to support loved ones instantly, as well as communities to take part in a more dynamic, digital African economy.
“This collaboration marks a major development in how we power payments across Africa,” said Peter De Caluwe, Co-Founder and CEO of Thunes.
“Thunes’ solutions and Ecobank’s reach are a perfect match: together we’re delivering faster, more reliable access to liquidity and creating new pathways for growth across Sub-Saharan Africa. The result is a live, large-scale solution that’s transforming how money moves across the continent. This also represents a key milestone in our mission to enable the next billion end users to take part in the global economy.”
“Our collaboration with Thunes perfectly aligns with Ecobank’s mission to provide borderless banking and drive financial inclusion across Africa,” said Jeremy Awori, CEO of Ecobank Group.
“By combining our robust banking infrastructure with Thunes’ fintech innovation and trusted Direct Global Network, we’re expanding real-time financial access for millions and driving the growth of Africa’s digital economy.”
Meanwhile, the first market to commence operations under this pan-African partnership is Togo, where Ecobank customers can now benefit from instant payments from remittance players globally.
This launch also demonstrates the partnership’s operational readiness as it prepares for systematic expansion across the continent.
