In a landmark development for East Africa’s financial sector, SanuPay, a next-generation third-party payment processor licensed and headquartered in the UAE, has partnered with OpenWay, a global leader in digital payments software, to launch Ethiopia’s first domestic credit card. This rollout marks a pivotal shift in the country’s move toward a formalized and digitally enabled financial infrastructure.
The new credit card ecosystem is powered by the Way4 platform from OpenWay, which provides end-to-end solutions for issuing, acquiring, switching, and mobile wallets. SanuPay will issue 4 million debit and prepaid cards and 5,000 Visa and Mastercard credit cards, while operating 10,000 point-of-sale (POS) terminals and 200 ATMs nationwide—all running on Way4. The first domestic credit cards are expected to be issued by Oromia Bank, which also plans to introduce a co-branded loyalty card with Sheba Miles.
Supporting the infrastructure behind this nationwide rollout is SantimPay, a licensed payment system operator under the National Bank of Ethiopia. With a mission to build a cashless and connected economy, SantimPay ensures local transaction switching and processing is secure, efficient, and compliant.
SanuPay’s ambitions extend regionally. In Kenya, the company is collaborating with regional banks and fintechs to modernise card processing, remittances, and cross-border payments. In Rwanda, SanuPay will empower fintechs with tools to issue virtual cards, implement tokenisation, launch digital wallets, and integrate mobile payments.
OpenWay’s Way4 platform has already proven its effectiveness in Africa through partnerships with institutions such as Equity Bank. Its modular design and configurability without coding—95% of functionality can be deployed without custom development—make it ideal for rapidly evolving markets.
“We have selected the best-in-class solution to provide best-in-class payment services in Ethiopia,” said Alfred Gachaga, CEO at SanuPay. “Partnering with OpenWay and deploying Way4 enables a resilient, scalable, and compliant infrastructure that supports Africa’s digital financial transformation.”
“This collaboration with SanuPay reflects our commitment to empowering innovative financial institutions across Africa,” said Hermann Mike, Regional Director, Sub-Saharan Africa, at OpenWay. “Way4 enables Ethiopia’s first domestic credit card while laying the foundation for a modern, inclusive, and interoperable payments landscape.”
This initiative represents a replicable model for regional fintech growth—homegrown, scalable, and ready to shape Africa’s next-generation payments ecosystem.
