Visa has appointed Aminata Kane as Senior Vice President and Regional Director for West and Central Africa, marking a major milestone in its push to accelerate digital transformation across the continent.
Based in Abidjan, ivory cost economic capital, Kane will lead Visa’s strategy across 23 countries, steering efforts to expand financial inclusion in one of the world’s most underserved banking regions.
“This appointment signals Visa’s commitment to digital innovation and diversity as core pillars of its African development strategy,” the company said.
Aminata Kane brings a formidable track record to the role.
A graduate of HEC Paris and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), she previously held roles at McKinsey, Goldman Sachs, and served as Regional General Manager for Orange Money Group.
At Orange, Kane led financial operations across 17 African countries, spearheading the rollout of mobile microcredit products and banking services tailored to the region’s unique needs.
Under her leadership, Orange Sierra Leone saw revenue growth surpass 20% annually.
Her success in digitizing financial services is seen as instrumental to Visa’s ambitions in a region where roughly 60% of the population remains unbanked.
From her base in Abidjan, Kane will coordinate a network of Visa offices across Lagos, Accra, and Kinshasa. This decentralised structure aims to align Visa more closely with local markets, ensuring its digital payment solutions—from QR codes to contactless wallets—are accessible and relevant.
Visa has pledged to invest $1 billion in Africa by 2027 to build an inclusive, secure, and future-proof payment ecosystem.
Kane is expected to deepen partnerships with local fintechs such as Nigeria’s Paga, catalysing broader adoption of digital finance tools across the continent.
In a male-dominated sector, her appointment also represents a significant step forward for gender equity.
Kane, named among Africa’s Top 100 Women CEOs and a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum, has long advocated for digital inclusion, especially among youth and women.
In Sierra Leone, she founded the Orange Digital Centre to equip vulnerable communities with digital skills.
At Visa, she is expected to pursue the same vision—ensuring that the continent’s digital revolution is both inclusive and sustainable.
With mobile money transactions projected to hit $1.2 trillion in Africa by 2024, Kane’s leadership comes at a critical juncture.
While infrastructure challenges persist—from patchy internet access to cybersecurity vulnerabilities—her deep regional expertise and inclusive approach position her to reshape how financial services reach millions.
For Visa, this is more than a strategic hire; it’s a bold investment in Africa’s future.
