VGS and Onafriq Partnering to Increase Security and Payments Innovation for Fintechs in Africa & the Middle East

VGS has announced a strategic partnership with Onafriq, Africa’s largest payments network, that is aimed at bolstering security and innovation for Fintechs across Africa and the Middle East. This partnership marks the culmination of a longstanding relationship between the two entities, with VGS serving as Onafriq’s trusted partner for PCI compliance and payment features.

As a universal token vault provider, VGS specializes in securely collecting and storing payment card information on behalf of its clients, thus shielding them from PCI compliance liability and the inherent risks associated with handling sensitive data. This collaboration has empowered Onafriq and its fintech clientele to operate with enhanced security and peace of mind while focusing on driving innovation and delivering superior financial services to their customers.

This partnership brings with it a host of important developments. Onafriq is set to implement VGS’s card reveal capability for its new “Credential Show” feature, which will apply to virtual cards and other card issuance features specifically tailored to fintech providers in Africa and the Middle East.

The “Credential Show” feature is enabled for fintechs and financial institutions when they opt for this capability, together with card issuing APIs offered by Onafriq. This is where Onafriq and VGS securely collect and store PAN (Primary Account Number) data and display a complete card number, expiration date, and CVV to end-users upon their request. The process insulates Onafriq’s fintech clients from coming under compliance scope while offering user self-serve options and reducing customer service needs.

Moreover, VGS and Onafriq are committed to exploring opportunities for product co-development and expanding the scope of payment acceptance use cases throughout Africa and the Middle East. Together, they aim to make it simpler and safer for fintechs to offer innovative financial solutions to millions of African consumers while building a future where fintech companies can thrive and expand in a secure environment.

“We are thrilled to deepen our partnership with Onafriq and embark on this journey of innovation and collaboration,” said VGS CEO Chuck Yu. “Together, we are poised to unlock new security and payments innovation possibilities for fintechs based in Africa and the Middle East, ultimately empowering businesses and consumers alike.”

Likewise, Onafriq COO Rajat Mishra expressed enthusiasm for the partnership, stating, “At Onafriq, we are committed to delivering cutting-edge solutions that meet the evolving needs of our partners. By leveraging VGS’s best-in-class technology and combining it with Onafriq’s unique expertise around payment interoperability, we are confident that we can drive meaningful impact and shape the future of fintech across Africa and the Middle East.”

The VGS-Onafriq partnership is a significant milestone in payments innovation for fintechs in Africa and the Middle East looking to uphold standards for excellence in security, reliability, and customer experience.

About VGS

VGS is the world’s leader in payment tokenization. Large banks, aspiring fintechs, and growing merchants embed our universal token vault into their technology stack to manage the complexities of payment data tokenization across processors and networks, open banking, card issuance, omnichannel loyalty, PCI compliance, payment orchestration, and more. We empower our clients and partners by tokenizing sensitive payment data, limiting compliance scope, and consolidating payments to unlock revenue and business opportunities.

Learn more at vgs.io and by following us on LinkedIn.

About Onafriq

Onafriq is an omnichannel network of networks, making borders matter less by providing our partners with a single pathway to unlock the full power of cross-border and cross-platform payment solutions. With a network spanning 40 African markets, Onafriq connects over 500 million mobile money wallets, 200 million bank accounts, and over 400,000 agents in Nigeria, enabling domestic and cross-border disbursements and collections, card issuing and processing, agency banking, and treasury services.

At Onafriq, we bring together global and regional enterprises, mobile network operators, money transfer operators, banks, fintechs, global development organizations, and online and offline merchants. With top-notch regulatory and compliance capabilities and a robust regional presence encompassing 10 offices in Africa, as well as locations in the UK, US, and China, we are paving the way for a new era of access for people across the African continent and beyond. Learn more at onafriq.com.