On September 30, 2025, the BCEAO will launch the Interoperable Instant Payment System Platform, a regional infrastructure designed to connect banks, fintechs, and mobile money operators across the WAEMU in real time. Behind this technological advance lies an economic and monetary ambition: to streamline exchanges, lower transaction costs, and strengthen financial sovereignty in an area where banking inclusion remains partial.
With an overall banking penetration rate of around 20% in the union and strong mobile money penetration in countries such as Senegal and Côte d’Ivoire, interoperability is becoming a strategic lever. It will make it possible to overcome the silos between service providers and broaden access to more efficient financial services, particularly for rural and informal populations.
But this project is not without its challenges. Technological reliability, cybersecurity, and regulatory harmonization among the eight member countries remain sensitive issues. Real-time flow management requires a robust architecture capable of absorbing growing transaction volumes without creating friction points or vulnerabilities.
Furthermore, the success of the system will also depend on the governance of the project. The platform’s neutrality towards the various players, transparency on fees, and openness to local innovations will be key to ensuring adoption and trust.
Implicitly, this launch marks a further step in the quest for monetary autonomy within the WAEMU, providing the region with technical tools that match its integration ambitions. However, the digital infrastructure must keep pace with the economic and social realities it aims to transform.
