On July 23, 2025, Visa opened its first African data centre in Johannesburg, South Africa. For the global payments giant, this is more than an infrastructure play—it’s part of a $1 billion bet on financial inclusion, digital innovation, and Africa’s fast-growing cashless economy.
“Africa makes a very important part of our strategy globally,” Michael Berner, Visa’s Group Country Head for Southern and East Africa, told . “Over the next few years, Africa will be playing an even bigger role in the scheme of things in digital payments.”
The move comes at a pivotal moment. Unlike other regions that shifted gradually from cash to cards and digital payments, many African markets have leapfrogged into mobile money and cashless transactions. This rapid adoption highlights why Visa—describing itself as a “60-year-old fintech”—chose now to embed its global backbone in Africa.
A foundation for inclusion and SMEs
The Johannesburg centre is part of a broader commitment to expand access, with financial inclusion and support for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) at the heart of Visa’s strategy. Around 350 million adults in Africa remain outside the formal banking system, and digital payments are seen as one of the fastest ways to close that gap.
“By promoting digital technology in payments, we help significantly with financial inclusion,” Berner said. SMEs are a particular focus. According to a World Bank Enterprise Survey, only 35% of payments received by SMEs in the region are digital, meaning a substantial 65% of transactions still rely on cash.
“Helping SMEs and merchants to accept payments is very important,” he added. ” They need a secure and fast way to collect payments, make transfers to suppliers, and pay employees. That’s what we can bring to the table.”
African governments are reducing reliance on cash to drive transparency, boost tax revenues, and curb informal economic activity. Nigeria has introduced cashless policies by limiting withdrawals and expanding digital payments through providers like OPay and Moniepoint, while Kenya’s M-Pesa continues to anchor mobile money adoption. In South Africa, welfare and transport payments are being digitised to cut cash handling and fraud. Visa’s new data centre aligns with these efforts, providing the infrastructure to support digital transactions that benefit individuals, businesses, and policymakers alike.
Built for AI and the future of commerce
Globally, Visa processes about 65,000 transactions per second—more than 150 million daily—across 200 countries and territories. Meeting that demand securely requires vast computing power. The Johannesburg data centre is part of a $3.5 billion overhaul of Visa’s global platform, optimised for new technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and tokenisation.
More than 100 Visa products already use AI to enhance fraud detection, customer experience, and product innovation. “AI is the future of many things,” Berner said. “Our platform is fully optimised for AI, and this data centre ensures we have the capacity to deploy those tools across Africa.”
Until now, Visa supported Africa’s payments ecosystem from data centres in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Singapore. The new Johannesburg facility—its fifth worldwide—brings processing power closer to the continent. The other four centres are in Virginia and Colorado in the U.S., London, and Singapore.
A $1 billion commitment to Africa
The investment in South Africa amounts to 1 billion rand (about $54 million) over the next three years, but it sits within Visa’s larger $1 billion pledge to Africa. Beyond infrastructure, the company is backing fintechs, women entrepreneurs, and SME-focused platforms. In January, it invested in Nigerian fintech unicorn Moniepoint, and continues to support startups through its Visa Accelerator Africa program.
The launch also comes at a symbolic time, with South Africa holding the G20 presidency in 2025. For Visa, it is a chance to underscore Africa’s growing weight in the global financial system. “We want to bring best-in-class infrastructure and demonstrate how Africa plays a very important role in the G20 context,” Berner said.
Building for the long term
While the Johannesburg centre will serve only Visa’s operational needs, it also lays the groundwork for wider innovation. Beyond payments, Visa envisions a future of data-driven tools, AI-enabled services, and value-added solutions tailored to Africa’s unique digital economy.
Talent development is a key focus, as Africa grapples with a widening digital skills gap. Today, just 11% of tertiary graduates receive formal digital training, and by 2030, an estimated 650 million workers will need new competencies. The shortage is acute in areas like cybersecurity, where 68,000 professionals are missing, and South Africa, which faces a deficit of 20,000–70,000 IT specialists in AI, data, and software development. Visa views this challenge as an opportunity, positioning Africa as a source of future technology leaders.
“We can coach and nurture talent here and see it taking bigger roles in our ecosystem,” Berner said.
Ultimately, Visa’s new data centre is a response to today’s digital payment needs and a long-term bet on Africa’s role in shaping the global financial future. “This is not just about today,” Berner added. “It’s a long-term vision. Africa’s role in digital payments is only going to grow—and we want to be ready to support it.”
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