SanuPay and OpenWay launch Ethiopia’s domestic credit card

By Vriti Gothi

SanuPay a payment processor, has partnered with OpenWay, a digital payments software, to launch Ethiopia’s domestic credit card.

This landmark rollout represents a decisive step forward in Ethiopia’s transition toward a formalised, cashless, and digitally empowered financial ecosystem.

The new credit card infrastructure is underpinned by OpenWay’s award-winning Way4 platform, an integrated, end-to-end solution trusted by leading banks and FinTech innovators worldwide. Way4 will power SanuPay’s issuance of four million debit and prepaid cards and an initial batch of 5,000 Visa and Mastercard-branded credit cards. To enable seamless nationwide access, SanuPay will deploy 10,000 point-of-sale terminals and 200 ATMs each operating on the Way4 system—while Oromia Bank is set to issue the country’s inaugural domestic credit cards and launch a co-branded loyalty card in collaboration with Sheba Miles.

Ensuring the security, efficiency, and compliance of this transformative infrastructure is SantimPay, a licensed payment system operator regulated by the National Bank of Ethiopia. By providing robust local switching and processing capabilities, SantimPay is accelerating Ethiopia’s vision of a connected and cashless economy, aligning the nation with global best practices in financial services.

This milestone is only the beginning of SanuPay’s broader regional ambitions. In Kenya, the company is partnering with leading banks and FinTechs to modernise card processing, streamline remittances, and enable frictionless cross-border payments. In Rwanda, SanuPay is empowering FinTech innovators with agile solutions to issue virtual cards, implement advanced tokenisation, deploy digital wallets, and integrate mobile-first payment experiences—fostering a more inclusive digital economy across East Africa.

OpenWay’s Way4 platform is already a trusted backbone for digital payments innovation across Africa, with notable implementations including Equity Bank. Its modular architecture and low-code configurability—allowing 95% of functionality to be deployed without custom development—make it ideally suited for dynamic, fast-growing markets seeking rapid scalability and future-ready capabilities.

Alfred Gachaga, CEO of SanuPay, said, “Our mission is clear to deliver world-class, customer-centric payment services that meet the unique needs of emerging markets. By partnering with OpenWay and leveraging the versatility of Way4, we are building a resilient and scalable ecosystem that will support Ethiopia’s and the region’s digital financial transformation for years to come.”

Hermann Mike, Regional Director for Sub-Saharan Africa at OpenWay, said, “This collaboration with SanuPay demonstrates OpenWay’s deep commitment to powering next-generation financial services in Africa. Through Way4, we are proud to support Ethiopia’s first domestic credit card and to lay the groundwork for a modern, interoperable payments landscape that will foster financial inclusion and growth.”

As Ethiopia takes this bold leap toward a digital-first future, the SanuPay-OpenWay partnership stands as a replicable model for Fintech-driven transformation—homegrown, secure, and ready to unlock the potential of Africa’s next-generation payments ecosystem.