Visa Opens First Data Centre in Africa to Power Digital Payments
Johannesburg leads Africa in contactless payment adoption
Visa Opens Data Centre in Africa marking a pivotal moment in the continent’s digital transformation. Located in Johannesburg, South Africa, the facility is part of a broader $57 million investment Visa plans to roll out over the next three years.
South Africa was chosen as the launchpad due to its leadership in digital payments. The country currently records over 60% of in-store transactions via contactless technology, placing it ahead of other African nations.
“Visa continues to be very committed to the growth of the economy on the continent,” said Michael Berner, Visa’s Head of Southern and East Africa. “This centre—one of very few built outside the US, UK, and Singapore—reflects that commitment.”
New Visa data centre will strengthen reliability across Africa
The new centre integrates into VisaNet, Visa’s global transaction network that processes more than 100 billion transactions annually in over 200 countries. This development is expected to enhance settlement speed and reliability for financial transactions—not just in South Africa but across the African continent.
Africa’s digital payments market is projected to reach $1.5 trillion by 2030, thanks to increased internet penetration and rising financial inclusion. Visa’s infrastructure will help support this explosive growth by offering improved scalability and reliability for the fintech ecosystem.
“This is more than just infrastructure,” noted Lineshree Moodley, Visa South Africa’s Country Manager. “It’s an investment in people, potential, and partnerships.”
Africa’s fintech sector sees global interest beyond Johannesburg
While Johannesburg is now home to Visa’s African data centre, other cities such as Nairobi and Lagos are also emerging as key fintech hubs. These regions continue to attract international investment, following in the footsteps of companies like Mastercard, which have already made significant inroads into Africa’s digital economy.
As Visa lays this technological foundation, the continent is poised to see a surge in innovation, infrastructure, and financial accessibility.
