Payaza has strengthened its East African presence after securing a Payment System Operator (PSO) license in Uganda, enabling the fintech to operate directly within the country’s regulated financial ecosystem.
The move is a major step in Payaza’s mission to simplify cross-border payments for African businesses, allowing mobile-first transactions, multi-currency settlement, and secure processing under Uganda’s regulatory framework. Ugandan and international merchants can now access regional markets more easily through Payaza’s growing African payments network.
The PSO license gives Payaza direct operational authority in Uganda, eliminating reliance on third-party intermediaries and unlocking key capabilities:
- Local and International Payment Processing: Merchants can accept global card payments alongside popular mobile money platforms like MTN Mobile Money and Airtel Money through a single integration.
- Multi-Currency Settlement: Businesses can accept multiple currencies and settle efficiently, reducing the cost and complexity of currency conversions.
- Regulated, Secure Infrastructure: All transactions adhere to Uganda’s compliance, data protection, anti-money laundering, and fraud monitoring standards.
Uganda’s market is predominantly mobile-first. With Payaza’s licensed presence, merchants gain:
- Mobile-Optimised Checkout: Seamless wallet and card payments designed for local usage.
- Omnichannel Consistency: Unified transaction processing across online and offline channels.
- Cross-Border Growth: Easy access to other African markets via Payaza’s regional network.
For global businesses, the license removes a major compliance hurdle. Companies can integrate with Payaza to reach Ugandan consumers without navigating local regulatory requirements independently.
Beyond Uganda, Payaza is building infrastructure that strengthens integrations with mobile wallets, enhances fraud prevention, and simplifies onboarding. The company’s long-term vision is to create a seamless payments layer that allows businesses, both African and global, to move money across borders as easily as data.
In a continent often slowed by fragmented payment systems, regulatory-backed infrastructure could become a key competitive advantage. For Payaza, Uganda is a critical milestone in that journey.
