ADDIS ABABA — EthSwitch has been recognized as the “Best Financial Inclusion Technology Initiative in Africa” at the 2026 TAB Global Business Achievement Awards held in Kuala Lumpur during The Asian Banker Summit.
The recognition highlights Ethiopia’s growing visibility in Africa’s digital finance transformation and underscores the increasing importance of interoperable payment infrastructure in expanding financial inclusion across emerging economies.
Yilebes Addis, CEO of EthSwitch said the award reflects its work building a national shared payment ecosystem connecting banks, microfinance institutions, payment service operators, digital wallets, merchants, and individual users through interoperable systems designed to reduce fragmentation and improve access to digital financial services.
“This recognition reflects our commitment to building inclusive and interoperable digital financial infrastructure for Ethiopia and beyond,” said Yilebes.
The award also comes as EthSwitch intensifies efforts to position EthioPay as Ethiopia’s national instant payment scheme — a platform increasingly central to the country’s broader digital economy ambitions.
EthioPay becomes central to digital finance ambitions
Speaking during a recent sector engagement, Yilebes Addis outlined EthSwitch’s long-term strategy for EthioPay, presenting the platform as a foundational infrastructure layer for Ethiopia’s evolving digital financial ecosystem.
The presentation highlighted progress in building an interoperable system connecting financial institutions and enabling real-time digital transactions across different platforms and service providers.
According to Yilebes, EthioPay’s expanding adoption and transaction usage are helping position the platform as a critical enabler of digital commerce, financial access, and payment modernization in Ethiopia.
Looking ahead, the company identified opportunities to expand payment use cases, deepen customer engagement, and create broader value across the financial sector. Yet persistent challenges including uneven institutional integration, market readiness gaps, and the need for stronger ecosystem-wide commitment need to be acknowledged.
Interoperability moves from technical issue to policy priority
Across Africa, regulators and financial institutions are increasingly treating interoperability as a strategic economic priority rather than simply a technical banking function.
EthSwitch’s approach reflects a broader continental push toward integrated payment infrastructure capable of supporting mobile money, banking systems, fintech services, merchant payments, and cross-platform transactions within a unified ecosystem.
“Financial inclusion is not achieved by technology alone; it is achieved when interoperability removes barriers and makes digital financial services accessible, affordable, and usable for every citizen,” said Abeneazer Wondwossen, Chief Portfolio Officer, EthSwitch
Ethiopia’s financial transition gains momentum
The recognition arrives at a time when Ethiopia’s financial sector is undergoing rapid digital transformation driven by regulatory reforms, fintech expansion, and growing adoption of electronic payments.
Within that transition, EthSwitch is emerging not only as a payment switch operator, but as a strategic infrastructure institution shaping how digital finance is integrated nationally.
It remains committed to expanding inclusive digital financial infrastructure in Ethiopia and beyond, framing interoperability as a long-term foundation for financial inclusion, digital sovereignty, and economic modernization.