Rawbank, the largest bank in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and global payments company Visa on Dec. 16 renewed their partnership for a further five years, the two groups said in a joint statement issued in Kinshasa.

The agreement marks a new phase in a collaboration that began more than 15 years ago. Under the renewed partnership, the two companies plan to expand payment and financial management solutions for small and medium-sized enterprises, including expense management tools designed to improve SMEs’ financial management. The agreement also covers the rollout of tailored products for affluent clients and the expansion of cross-border payment solutions to support international trade.

On the merchant side, Rawbank and Visa plan to broaden payment acceptance options, including physical point-of-sale terminals, online payment solutions and remote payment tools. The move is aimed at supporting the growth of e-commerce and strengthening transaction security.

The partners also plan to launch companion cards and virtual cards in collaboration with telecommunications operators, to meet growing mobile usage and offer greater flexibility to individuals and businesses.

In addition, the two companies announced joint initiatives to promote financial inclusion, including the Visa Academia Card and future programmes targeting young people, women and entrepreneurs. These initiatives will focus on financial education and improving access to formal banking services.

Rawbank also plans to promote payment tokenization in the DRC, a technology designed to enhance transaction security and encourage the adoption of innovative digital payment solutions. The bank said the initiative reflects a shared objective to strengthen trust in digital payments and support the transition toward a more connected economy.

Mustafa Rawji, chief executive officer of Rawbank, said the partnership aims to broaden the range of modern and secure payment solutions tailored to the needs of Congolese consumers and businesses.

Sophie Kafuti, Visa’s country manager for the DRC, said the agreement seeks to support the modernization of payment acceptance, the expansion of e-commerce and the rollout of mobile solutions, with the goal of widening access to digital financial services and strengthening financial inclusion.

Ronsard Luabeya