AXIAN Group, the Madagascar-based conglomerate led by tycoon Hassanein Hiridjee, has forged a strategic partnership with Mastercard to accelerate digital payment adoption across Tanzania, Madagascar, Togo, Comoros, and Senegal. The collaboration will introduce virtual and physical cards, along with merchant services under AXIAN’s Mixx and MVola brands, aimed at enabling secure and convenient transactions for consumers, small businesses, and independent workers via mobile devices.
Mete Guney, Mastercard’s executive vice president for Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, described the deal as part of a broader trend reshaping the continent’s financial landscape. “Across Africa, technology is unlocking new ways to connect people to opportunity,” he said. “This partnership demonstrates how we are facilitating simple and secure methods to make payments and transfer money, while working with innovative players like AXIAN to advance financial inclusion.”
The Mixx and MVola platforms give users full control over their finances, allowing them to activate and top up virtual cards, monitor transactions, access real-time exchange rates, or cancel payments instantly. According to Erwan Gelebart, CEO of AXIAN’s Digibank & Fintech unit, the partnership is designed to make digital finance practical for everyday life. “Our goal is to provide services that fit how people live and work,” Gelebart said. “This collaboration equips our customers to manage money, shop online, send funds across borders, and run businesses securely from a mobile device.”
AXIAN has been steadily expanding its footprint across Africa in telecoms, banking, energy, and digital services. Under Hiridjee’s leadership, the group acquired Wananchi Group for $63 million, gaining fiber and long-haul networks in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, which strengthens its ability to offer cloud, data, and IoT services regionally. The company recently rebranded its fintech operations as Digibank & Fintech and participated in a $3.5 million funding round for France-based Nucleon Security, which develops AI-driven cybersecurity solutions for financial institutions.
Through this partnership, AXIAN and Mastercard are poised to drive safer, faster, and more accessible digital payments across multiple African markets, reflecting a growing commitment to financial inclusion and technology-led growth.
