Onafriq has partnered with Privy, a stablecoin wallet infrastructure provider, to develop regulated stablecoin-enabled payment services for business customers across Africa, the companies said on 29 July 2026 in a statement issued in Nairobi.

Under the partnership, Onafriq said it will integrate Privy’s infrastructure to support cross-chain stablecoin transfers, and to streamline treasury and settlement workflows. The companies said the initiative is intended to address what they described as slow and fragmented cross-border settlement processes across African markets, with implementation subject to regulatory approval.

The announcement comes as African payment providers and financial institutions look for faster settlement options for regional trade and treasury operations. Cross-border transfers in Africa often involve multiple intermediaries and longer settlement cycles, raising costs and tying up liquidity for businesses. Onafriq said stablecoin-based rails can provide an alternative route for settlement and liquidity management where regulations allow.

Onafriq said the partnership is part of its broader strategy to modernise pan-African payment infrastructure, including development of multi-modal wallets and more efficient movement of value across borders. The firm operates a payments network spanning 43 African markets, connecting more than one billion mobile money wallets and 500 million bank accounts, according to the company.

“At Onafriq, we keep investing in technology that makes payments faster and more accessible,” said Luke Kyohere, Group Chief Product and Innovation Officer at Onafriq. “Privy gives us a building block for faster settlement and better liquidity management. As demand for digital asset services grows, our goal is to ensure Africa's payment ecosystem benefits securely and in line with regulatory frameworks.”

Privy said the collaboration will focus on building infrastructure that financial institutions and payment firms can integrate without having to manage blockchain complexity directly. The company became a Stripe company in 2025, according to the statement.

“Stablecoins will play an increasingly important role in the future of global payments, but real-world adoption depends on infrastructure that is secure, scalable and simple to implement,” said Henri Stern, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Privy. “Working with Onafriq allows us to help build that foundation across Africa and beyond.”

While the companies did not disclose commercial terms, timelines, or transaction volumes, they said the partnership is expected to support institutional use cases including stablecoin-enabled settlement, treasury management and liquidity services. Onafriq also said the offering will target banks, fintechs and mobile money operators across its network, with roll-out dependent on regulatory approval in relevant markets.

For Kenya and East Africa, the move reflects growing interest among payments firms in regulated digital asset infrastructure to reduce cross-border settlement friction for B2B transactions, regional suppliers and treasury functions. However, adoption will likely hinge on country-level regulatory clarity around stablecoins, licensing, consumer protection and anti-money laundering controls. Industry observers expect early deployments to focus on back-end settlement and treasury rather than retail-facing products, as firms test compliance and operational risk frameworks.

Onafriq and Privy said next steps include building out the initial phase covering cross-chain transfers and settlement workflows, and expanding to additional liquidity and payment solutions over time “where regulation allows.”

African Mining Week 2026 will be held in Cape Town, South Africa, on October 14–16, bringing together policymakers, industry leaders and investors to assess how recent mining law reforms across Africa are influencing investment decisions and downstream processing plans, according to a statement distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital & Power on March 11, 2026.

The conference comes as several mineral-producing and frontier markets revise mining codes, introduce new bills and adjust licensing rules in an effort to attract capital, diversify mineral output and capture more value through beneficiation. Energy Capital & Power said modernised legal and regulatory frameworks are aimed at providing clearer rules and improving transparency, factors that can affect financing, exploration activity and project development timelines.

In Liberia, the government is preparing to introduce a new Mining Code “within the next three months” and plans to create a National Mining Company to increase state participation in major projects, Energy Capital & Power said. The publication reported that nearly 80% of Liberia remains geologically unexplored.

“Liberia’s geology is exceptionally rich,” said Matenokay Tingban, Minister of Mines and Energy, in an interview with Energy Capital & Power in January. “We are seeking geomapping and exploration partners. Access to geoscientific data will allow us to negotiate stronger investment deals and develop downstream infrastructure.”

Energy Capital & Power added that iron ore currently dominates Liberia’s output, with the country “targeting 30 million tons per year by 2026,” while the planned framework is expected to support diversification into other resources and encourage partnerships for exploration and downstream processing.

Namibia is finalising a new Minerals Bill to replace its 2002 legislation, with reforms intended to support local beneficiation, broader participation and investment competitiveness, the statement said. Isabella Chirchir, Mining Commissioner at Namibia’s Ministry of Industry and Mines, said the reforms aim “to attract capital to diversify production beyond diamonds and uranium toward strategic metals such as lithium and rare earths,” according to Energy Capital & Power.

In Central Africa, the Republic of Congo approved a draft mining code in November 2025 that introduces competitive bidding, formal permitting for small-scale miners and provisions to support in-country processing, Energy Capital & Power said. The measures are intended to improve transparency and strengthen domestic value chains for both traditional and strategic minerals.

Beyond these markets, Energy Capital & Power said Ivory Coast is revising its mining code to cover a broader range of minerals—naming chromium, coltan, lithium, copper, cobalt and iron ore—alongside its “existing base of 19 operating mines.” Somalia is also overhauling mining regulations to open up frontier resources including uranium, lithium, cobalt, gold and diamonds, it added.

Energy Capital & Power cited recent policy changes in Mali and Burkina Faso as examples of how regulatory shifts can coincide with production growth and new project pipelines. It said Mali introduced a new Mining Code in 2023 and “continues as Africa’s second-largest gold producer” while advancing lithium projects and a gold refinery with international partners Barrick and B2Gold. It also said Burkina Faso adopted a revised code in 2024 and increased gold production from “roughly 57–60 tons to 94 tons in 2025.”

For Kenya and East Africa, the push for clearer mining rules and licensing procedures in multiple African jurisdictions may intensify competition for exploration and development capital, particularly for minerals linked to battery supply chains such as lithium and rare earths. Regulatory changes in neighbouring and comparable markets can also influence investor expectations around permitting timelines, state participation and beneficiation requirements—factors that typically shape project economics and financing structures.

African Mining Week 2026 is expected to focus on how these legislative changes translate into project execution—from early-stage exploration to processing and refining—at a time when governments are seeking to expand local value addition and improve revenues from mineral extraction.