Rwanda has launched eKash, a unified digital payment system designed to make money transfers interoperable across the country’s financial ecosystem. Initially available only through MTN Mobile Money and Airtel Money, eKash has expanded over the past three years to include banks, SACCOs, and microfinance institutions. The platform now connects 22 institutions, allowing users to pay directly from any linked account without the need to transfer or withdraw funds. ALSO READ: Rwanda's National Digital Payment System Officials said eKash eliminates delays, fragmented channels, and the long-standing inconveniences consumers face when transacting across different providers, with the aim of creating a country where sending money to anyone, on any platform, becomes instant, reliable and affordable. “For too long, digital payments in Rwanda were operating on separate systems that could not easily connect or work together. Your money had to move from one system to another, and that brought delays, cost and frustration for users. eKash changes that completely. It is fast, secure and built for every Rwandan, no matter which provider they use,” said the Minister of ICT and Innovation Paula Ingabire. ALSO READ: How Rwanda's digital payment system, eKash is driving financial inclusion The platform also comes with enhanced verification tools that reduce errors by allowing users to confirm recipient details before completing a transfer. “We once spoke about a truly cashless Rwanda, but our payment landscape was fragmented. Transactions moved in closed loops, systems did not speak the same language, and too many Rwandans still felt the distance between a bank counter, a mobile wallet, and the real economy. To achieve Vision 2050, we had to build a different kind of infrastructure, one that is inclusive, interoperable, and owned by Rwanda. That is how the eKash journey began,” said Ingabire. “We have moved from legacy platforms to an open source, modern, instant payment infrastructure. Today, all 22 participants have migrated to this new backbone that brings them all together. Rwanda has achieved one of the highest financial inclusion rates in the world. Ninety-six percent of adults are now financially included, with 92 percent formally included in banks and microfinance, and 86 percent using mobile money.” Processing costs, fragmented pricing, bilateral integrations, and limited awareness are slowing down the full benefit of eKash. “As we launch eKash, let’s commit to nurturing the environment it needs to thrive, greater adoption of RSwitch infrastructure, phasing out competing bilateral routes, and creating awareness so that citizens use eKash with confidence. Institutions, if not yet fully integrated, should accelerate onboarding and make eKash the default option for your customers,” said the Minister. The digital payment system has handled more than $ 46 million transactions since its launch in 2022, with 99 per cent of them completed successfully. Under current rules, users can make payments of up to Rwf 2 million per transaction, with a daily limit of Rwf 10 million. The 22 institutions connected to eKash manage more than 21 million accounts so far. Developers say the platform is built with strong security standards to protect users as digital financial activity continues to grow. “Every transaction that passes through eKash is wrapped in layers of security. We designed it so that a farmer in Nyamagabe, a trader in Nyabugogo and a bank customer in Kigali all enjoy the same level of protection. This system is not just modern, it is trustworthy,” said, Blaise Gasabira, the CEO of Rswitch, the developers of eKash. The platform already integrates with Rwanda’s major financial service providers, including Ecobank, Zigama CSS, I&M Bank, AB Bank, Bank of Africa, COPEDU PLC, Access Bank Rwanda, MTN MoMo and Airtel Money, SACCOs with more institutions expected to join soon. “Affordability is also a core principle of the rollout, lowering transaction costs is essential for ensuring the system benefits low income earners and small businesses. We cannot build a digital economy that works only for the few. eKash was designed to be low cost so that every citizen, whether they are sending Rwf 500 or Rwf 5,000,000 can access financial services without feeling excluded,” said Gasabira. To begin using eKash, users can register through their respective financial service provider’s mobile app or USSD platform. Mobile money customers can also dial *182*11# to activate the service. Officials say eKash is a major step toward creating a seamless digital environment in which every transaction. “For the first time, a national payments solution has been built end-to-end by African engineers, developers, and system integrators. Rwanda is a proof-of-concept nation, what we build here, we build with Rwandan talent, and what we learn here, we share with the rest of the continent,” said Robert Ochola, the CEO of AfricaNenda. “Building inclusive instant payment systems is about laying digital rails. We are not just launching a payment service, we are unlocking innovation in agriculture, healthcare, and small businesses across Africa. Over the next six years, we must reduce the number of financially excluded Africans from 400 million to fewer than 100 million.”
