• Burundi introduced a digital platform for civil registration management and the production of a new biometric national identity card.

• Authorities said the reform required legal amendments to replace manual civil registration procedures with digital processes.

• Burundi still faces infrastructure constraints, including limited electricity and internet access, with internet penetration standing at 11.1% at the end of 2025.

Burundi has continued the modernization of its public administration through a broad digitalization program focused on civil registration and citizen identification systems. On Tuesday, May 6, the Ministry of the Interior, Community Development and Public Security presented a digital platform dedicated to managing administrative documents and producing a new biometric national identity card.

According to Valentin Nahimana, Director General in charge of administrative programs at the ministry, authorities had prepared the reform for several years. However, implementation required adjustments to the existing legal framework, particularly provisions in the family code that still mandated manual registration of civil records. Nahimana said the government needed these legal changes to integrate new technologies into the administrative system.

The future biometric identity card will include several security features designed to reduce the risks of forgery and identity theft. Authorities said the card’s unique identification number will also serve as a reference for other official documents, including passports and various administrative services.

The initiative forms part of Burundi’s broader digital transformation strategy aimed at modernizing public services, strengthening data security and improving citizen identification systems. The project notably includes the digitization of civil registration records, which authorities have long managed manually, as well as the introduction of an identification system aligned with international standards.

On the technical side, authorities said they have nearly completed the required infrastructure and now await the adoption of a decree that will formally govern the system’s use. However, several challenges remain, including limited access to electricity and internet connectivity in some rural areas. According to the latest DataReportal figures, Burundi’s internet penetration rate reached 11.1% at the end of 2025, one of the lowest levels in sub-Saharan Africa.

Beyond the issuance of a national identity document, the project marks a new stage in Burundi’s digital transformation agenda. Authorities expect the initiative to strengthen administrative governance, facilitate access to public services and establish the foundations of a more modern and interconnected digital ecosystem.

This article was initially published in French by Samira Njoya

Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum

• Burkina Faso presented 12 flagship digital projects to the African Development Bank (AfDB) during talks in Ouagadougou.

• The government seeks funding and technical support for digital infrastructure, public service modernization, and emerging technology skills.

• The discussions form part of Burkina Faso’s broader strategy to diversify digital partnerships with Russia, the UAE, Niger, and Mali.

Burkina Faso stepped up efforts to expand partnerships in the digital sector as the government seeks to accelerate its digital transformation agenda. Against a backdrop of growing regional and international initiatives, the African Development Bank (AfDB) reaffirmed its interest in supporting the country’s strategic projects.

Digital Transition, Posts and Electronic Communications Minister Aminata Zerbo/Sabane met an AfDB delegation in Ouagadougou on Wednesday, May 6, during a working session focused on Burkina Faso’s digital priorities. The meeting reflected the authorities’ strategy to strengthen strategic partnerships around digital development, which the government considers a key driver of economic and social growth.

During the discussions, the minister presented the 12 flagship projects under her ministry, alongside the main progress achieved and ongoing initiatives. The projects notably target the expansion of digital infrastructure, the modernization of public services, and the strengthening of skills in emerging technologies. She also reaffirmed the government’s ambition to position digital technologies as a central engine for transforming the economy and public administration.

The talks identified several potential areas of cooperation. Both parties will now deepen technical discussions to determine which projects could receive AfDB support.

The African Development Bank, which already supports several digital transformation initiatives across Africa, welcomed the consistency of Burkina Faso’s strategic direction. The institution also reiterated its readiness to back major sector projects, particularly those related to infrastructure and digital skills development.

The discussions form part of the implementation of Burkina Faso’s Country Strategy Paper “DSP-i 2022-2025,” which the parties extended through 2026 and which frames AfDB interventions in the country. The strategy gives digital transformation an increasingly prominent role as a cross-cutting driver of competitiveness, inclusion, and modernization.

The meeting also came as Burkina Faso diversified its digital partnerships. In recent days, the country launched discussions with Russia on technological cooperation. Burkina Faso has also expanded regional collaborations with Niger and Mali, while developing digital-sector ties with the United Arab Emirates.

At the multilateral level, Burkina Faso already benefits from World Bank support through several flagship programs, including the Digital Transformation Acceleration Project (PACTDIGITAL) and the West Africa Unique Identification for Regional Integration and Inclusion (WURI) initiative, which focuses on regional digital identification systems.

Samira Njoya

• Tunisia’s central bank launched the national “TUNPAY” label to unify and strengthen the country’s mobile payment ecosystem.

• Mobile transactions in Tunisia rose 81% in 2025 to 8.4 million operations worth 1.769 billion dinars ($616 million).

• Banks, payment institutions, and Tunisia’s postal service must integrate the TUNPAY visual identity into their digital and physical payment channels.

The Central Bank of Tunisia (BCT) advanced its digital payments strategy through the launch of “TUNPAY,” a national label designed to unify and strengthen the country’s mobile payment ecosystem. In a note published on Monday, May 5, the institution said it developed the initiative in partnership with Société Monétique Tunisie (SMT).

The initiative aims to harmonize the identification of mobile payment services for the general public. Authorities want to make payment solutions more visible and easier for users to recognize.

Under the framework, banks, payment institutions, and Tunisia’s postal service, which operate electronic wallet services, must integrate the TUNPAY visual identity into their applications, digital interfaces, and physical acceptance points. Merchants, agencies, and agent networks using mobile payment services will also display the label.

Through the initiative, the central bank seeks to strengthen user confidence and accelerate the adoption of digital payments in a market that remains in a development phase. Authorities also want to improve service interoperability and simplify the user experience as financial technology offerings continue to diversify.

The move comes as mobile payments record sustained growth in Tunisia. According to BCT data, the number of mobile phone transactions increased by 81% in 2025 to 8.4 million operations. In value terms, the transactions reached 1.769 billion dinars ($616 million) during the year.

Despite the momentum, Tunisia’s market still trails several African countries where contactless payments and near-field communication (NFC) technologies are expanding rapidly. In Tunisia, many mobile transactions still rely on SMS-based validation systems.

Tunisian authorities nevertheless continue to roll out initiatives aimed at accelerating the digitization of financial services. The strategy reflects a broader trend across North Africa and the continent, where central banks seek to modernize payment infrastructure to promote financial inclusion and reduce cash usage.

With TUNPAY, Tunisia aims to lay the foundations for a payment environment that is more structured, more recognizable, and better aligned with the rapid expansion of digital financial services.

Samira Njoya

• Kenyan fintech entrepreneur Agosta Liko leads Pesapal, a payments platform that centralizes multiple payment methods for African businesses.

• Pesapal combines mobile money, bank card and contactless payments within a single system and payment terminal.

• The company also integrates payment services with hospitality and restaurant management software to streamline business operations.

Agosta Liko founded and leads Pesapal, a payment services platform that facilitates transactions for businesses and consumers.

Founded in 2009, Pesapal provides solutions that enable businesses to accept mobile money and bank card payments both online and through a unified payment terminal. The platform aims to simplify business operations by centralizing multiple payment methods within a single system while accelerating transaction processing.

Among its products, the startup developed a payment terminal that processes collections directly at points of sale. The device accepts both mobile payments and bank cards, including Visa and Mastercard, which gives customers greater flexibility during checkout. The solution also supports contactless payments through selected mobile devices, including Google Pay and connected watches.

In addition, the platform integrates with merchants’ existing cash register systems, allowing businesses to centralize sales and payment management within one tool. Pesapal also offers dedicated integrations for the hospitality and restaurant sectors through specialized software connections. These integrations allow businesses to combine payments, online reservations and operational monitoring through a single interface.

Before founding Pesapal, Agosta Liko launched Verviant in 2006, a U.S.-based IT consulting company. The company provides web design and development, programming, marketing, software development and technical support services.

 Before becoming an entrepreneur, Agosta Liko worked as a web administrator at litigation-focused law firm Shook, Hardy & Bacon between 2002 and 2003. He later served as a database systems engineer at First Citizens Bank from 2003 to 2008.

This article was initially published in French by Melchior Koba

Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum