Visa Invites Applications for Fintech Accelerator Program in Africa, Cohort 5 Open for Enrolment
Visa has announced the opening of applications for the fifth cohort of its Africa Fintech Accelerator. This 12-week virtual program aims to support early-stage fintech startups across the continent, with a focus on payments, embedded finance, SME support, sustainable finance, and payment infrastructure.
Eligible startups are seed to Series A fintechs based in Africa, with a working minimum viable product (MVP) or market-ready solution and some market traction. The application process operates in two rounds: initial screening to assess startup alignment with the program and market traction, followed by virtual interviews for shortlisted applicants.
The program offers a range of benefits, including mentorship, Visa training, access to products and tools valued over $200,000, and opportunities to pitch to investors, including Visa and Plug and Play, for potential funding. The program culminates in an in-person Demo Day where startups will pitch to investors, ecosystem players, and funding partners.
The application deadline for Cohort 5 is August 15, 2025. Fintech startups with a market-ready product or MVP are encouraged to apply. Since the program's 2023 launch, 64 startups have participated in the first three cohorts.
Some of the startups that have benefited from the program include Twiva (Kenya), a social commerce platform where businesses market and resell their products and services through social media influencers; PressPayNg (Nigeria), an education-focused fintech platform providing banking, financing, savings, and insurance solutions to help fund education; and Zazu (South Africa), a neobank for African small and medium-sized businesses, offering digital business accounts, expense management, invoicing, and bookkeeping tools.
Other notable startups include ShopOkoa (Kenya), which offers AI-driven credit and payment solutions to small- and micro-enterprises in Africa; mystocks.africa, which simplifies investing across African stock markets; and Muda (Kenya), a digital asset exchange and OTC platform focused on cross-border payments and stablecoin liquidity solutions for African businesses and fintechs.
The collective portfolio value of these startups is estimated at $1.1 billion, and alumni have raised over $55 million in funding post-program. Visa has pledged to invest $1 billion in Africa by 2027 as part of its broader commitment to boost Africa's digital economy.
For more information and to apply, visit insights.our website. Fintech startups with a market-ready product or MVP are encouraged to apply by August 15.
Businesses in the fintech sector across Africa are invited to apply for the fifth cohort of Visa's Africa Fintech Accelerator, a 12-week program focused on payments, embedded finance, SME support, sustainable finance, and payment infrastructure. Eligible startups are seed to Series A fintechs with a working minimum viable product (MVP) or market-ready solution and some market traction, who stand to benefit from mentorship, Visa training, access to products and tools valued over $200,000, and opportunities to pitch to investors for potential funding. The application deadline is August 15, 2025.
