By: Nana
Appiah Acquaye
EthSwitch has reaffirmed its
role in supporting Ethiopia’s digital transformation and financial inclusion
agenda during a high-level GSMA stakeholder workshop focused on Digital
Ethiopia 2030 and the National Digital Payment Strategy 2.0.
The workshop, held at the
Ethiopian Skylight Hotel, brought together stakeholders to discuss Ethiopia’s
digital development priorities, the implementation of the National Digital
Payment Strategy 2.0 and findings from the GSMA Digitalization Report.
Representing EthSwitch,
Digital Finance and FinTech Strategy Leader, Belayneh Getachew Filatie outlined
the company’s mandate to modernise Ethiopia’s national payment system and
support broader access to digital financial services.
Filatie said Ethiopia has
already established foundational payment infrastructure and should increasingly
focus on creating value through innovative services, differentiated offerings
and improved digital customer experiences.
He argued that competition
in the country’s digital payments ecosystem should move beyond infrastructure
development towards market creation and solutions that deliver greater value to
consumers and businesses.
A key element of Ethiopia’s
payment infrastructure is EthioPay, the country’s instant payment system, which
has received recognition from the AfricaNenda Foundation as a progress-level
instant payment platform.
Filatie said Digital
Ethiopia 2030 provides the country’s overarching digital development ambition,
while NDPS 2.0 provides a framework for developing trusted and inclusive
digital payment systems.
He added that the GSMA
Digitalization Report provides independent evidence on areas where Ethiopia is
making progress and where further improvements are required.
According to Filatie,
EthSwitch operates at the intersection of these priorities by providing core
payment infrastructure, supporting the development of the digital economy and
contributing directly to Ethiopia’s national digital transformation objectives.
