Report: Real-time Payments to Boost Africa’s Leading Economies, Unlock over $15bn in GDP Growth by 2028

Emma Okonji

ACI Worldwide, an innovator in global payments technology, in collaboration with The Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr), has released its latest report, revealing how real-time payments in Africa will enable access for unbanked and underserved communities in Africa’s leading economies such as Nigeria and South Africa.

According to the report, real-time payments are projected to contribute more than $15 billion in additional GDP growth to Nigeria and South Africa by 2028.

The report leverages data from 40 countries and reveals, for the first time, an empirical link between real-time payments and financial inclusion.

“Real-time payments drive economic growth and give citizens access to fast and affordable financial services. Real-time payments also increased GDP across all 40 countries surveyed by $164 billion in 2023, equivalent to the labour output of 12 million workers. Additionally, the associated financial inclusion uplift experienced by many countries as a result of increasing real-time transactions presents significant new revenue opportunities for financial institutions,” the report said.

It further said: “As Africa’s largest real-time payments market, Nigeria is reaping the biggest economic benefits, with real-time payments contributing $7 billion of additional GDP growth in 2023, which is expected to grow to $15 billion by 2028. The share of the banked population in Nigeria is expected to increase by 6.5 per cent between 2021 and 2028, placing Nigeria in the top five nations worldwide for inclusion uplift and representing a potential increase of $40 billion in profits for banks.

“The potential for banks extends beyond regions with large unbanked populations. By 2028, South Africa, already at 84 per cent banking penetration, could add 425,000 previously excluded individuals to the financial system. This modest 0.8 per cent growth represents a remarkable $899 million profit opportunity for banks. As Africa’s second-largest economy, South Africa is also a rising leader in real-time payments, with their contribution to GDP expected to more than double to $486 million by 2028, highlighting the transformative power of financial inclusion and innovation.”

Analysing the report, Senior Vice President of Sales for MEASA at ACI Worldwide, Santhosh Rao, said: “Africa offers immense potential to transform its financial ecosystem through real-time payments. Real-time payments bring more than convenience – they are a catalyst for economic empowerment, enabling citizens and businesses to access affordable, seamless financial services that drive growth and opportunity. Amplifying this transformative potential is the collaboration between Africa’s visionary entrepreneurs, innovators and governments. Together, they are laying the groundwork for an inclusive and sustainable future, where shared vision and cooperation become the engines of progress and prosperity across the continent.”

Globally, real-time payments are expected to contribute $285.8 billion in additional GDP growth, representing a 74.2 per cent increase over five years, and creating more than 167 million new bank account holders by 2028, the report further highlighted and explained how the real-time payments present a win-win proposition for everyone globally, not just for the financial sector but for the wider economy.

With nearly 50 years of trusted payments expertise, ACI Worldwide combines its global footprint with a local presence to offer enhanced payment experiences to stay ahead of constantly changing payment challenges and opportunities.