Payment infrastructure in Africa is challenging betting operators

The speed and efficiency of payment systems matter more than ever for iGaming operators. Jamiu Ajibode, a payments and product specialist focused on African markets, says payments are part of the product itself. In his view, operators face one of the biggest operational challenges on the continent. African customers expect deposits to work the moment they want to place a bet, and withdrawals to reach their account without unnecessary delay.

Ajibode notes that Africa is not a single payments market, and that operators must adapt to different payment infrastructures and consumer behavior in each country. Samuel Olaitan, who works with DalaPay, explains that failed transactions, success rates and reconciliation processes are serious concerns, but the real challenge is consistency. Olaitan points out that a payment method can work very well in one African country while behaving completely differently in another.

As betting services become more digital, the impact of this fragmentation is growing. In Nigeria, according to data from the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS), electronic payment transactions totaled 1.07 quadrillion naira in 2024. That amount is equivalent to 558 billion pounds sterling, 702 billion US dollars or 673 billion euros. Transaction volume rose from 9.7 billion in 2023 to 11.2 billion. The Central Bank of Kenya, meanwhile, reported that 94.35 million registered mobile money accounts were recorded in July 2026 alone.

Failed deposits are a clear source of friction. Withdrawals, meanwhile, are an even more sensitive point.