The Executive Governor of the Central Bank of Liberia, Henry F. Saamoi, presented Liberia's progress in digital payments and financial inclusion at MojaCom 32 in Accra, Ghana. This premier forum on interoperable and inclusive payment systems brought together central bank governors, regulators, development partners, financial institutions, and technology leaders from across Africa and beyond. Governor Saamoi delivered a keynote address on "Accelerating Financial Inclusion Through Instant and Interoperable Payments: Liberia's Journey and Lessons for Africa".
Governor Saamoi highlighted Liberia's transformation from a fragmented payments landscape to a system driven by real-time, interoperable digital financial services. He emphasized that while access to financial services has expanded significantly across the continent, the next frontier of financial inclusion is connectivity among financial institutions and payment platforms. According to Governor Saamoi, financial inclusion is no longer primarily constrained by access and affordability, but by connectivity.
The CBL Executive Governor highlighted two landmark achievements under Liberia's payment system modernization agenda: the launch of the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) and the deployment of the Inclusive Instant Payment System (IIPS). IIPS facilitates real-time interoperability between Liberia's leading mobile money providers, Lonestar MTN Mobile Money and Orange Money Liberia. These achievements demonstrate growing public confidence in digital financial services.
Liberia's digital payments ecosystem has delivered measurable results, with mobile money transactions reaching approximately L$585.88 billion and US$6.92 billion in value in 2025. The country's systemically important payment systems processed approximately 230,367 transactions valued at US$8.5 billion. Since its launch in December 2025, Liberia's Inclusive Instant Payment System has processed more than 5.3 million interoperable transactions.
Governor Saamoi shared key lessons from Liberia's experience, emphasizing that successful payment system transformation requires strong leadership, collaboration among stakeholders, and recognition of interoperable payment systems as critical national infrastructure. He called for greater collaboration among African central banks to strengthen regional payment connectivity and support the goals of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The CBL Executive Governor stressed that Africa's economic integration will depend not only on the movement of goods and services across borders, but also on the ability to move money quickly, securely, and affordably across the continent. He reaffirmed Liberia's commitment to building a modern, inclusive, and interconnected financial system while contributing to Africa's broader digital transformation agenda.
MojaCom 32 brought together central banks, regulators, financial institutions, development partners, and technology providers from around the world to discuss emerging trends and innovations in digital payments, interoperability, and financial inclusion. Governor Saamoi concluded by saying that Africa can build its future of payments and that the future of African financial inclusion will be determined by how effectively institutions connect.
Key points
- Liberia's digital payments ecosystem has processed significant transactions, with mobile money transactions reaching approximately L$585.88 billion and US$6.92 billion in value in 2025.
- The country's Inclusive Instant Payment System has processed more than 5.3 million interoperable transactions since its launch in December 2025.
- Governor Saamoi emphasized the need for greater collaboration among African central banks to strengthen regional payment connectivity and support the goals of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
