A pan-African infrastructure and services group active in sectors including telecom and digital banking, has rebranded its fintech cluster. Formerly known as Axian Open Innovation & Fintech, it will now operate as AXIAN Digibank & Fintech, marking a clear shift from mobile-money operations to a full digital banking ecosystem serving individuals and businesses across the continent.
The new cluster expands AXIAN’s mandate beyond simple payments, targeting the broader financial services that African individuals and SMEs increasingly need but cannot access through mobile money alone. According to the World Bank, banking access across Africa has grown in recent years, largely driven by mobile money and digital banking platforms but the market is hungry for more than wallet-based transfers.
“Consumers and SMEs now demand credit, savings, insurance, and investment services,” AXIAN said in a statement. The rebrand positions the company to meet these demands and compete in a market where users expect more than just transfers.
The cluster consolidates AXIAN’s financial services operations, including MVola and Mixx, its flagship fintech products that enable money transfers, merchant payments, and short-term credit across Madagascar, Comoros, Tanzania, Togo, and Senegal. The new structure will allow AXIAN to integrate these services more deeply while developing long-term financial products such as credit, savings, insurance, investments, and cross-border payment solutions.
“With AXIAN Digibank & Fintech, we are entering a new chapter, one where mobile money evolves into full digital banking,” said Erwan Gelebart, CEO of AXIAN Digibank & Fintech. “This transformation is about scaling impact, giving millions of Africans affordable access to the financial tools they need to grow, thrive, and shape tomorrow’s economy.”
To support its ambitions, AXIAN has appointed a new board that includes former N26 executive Georg Hauer, mobile-money pioneer Brad Jones, and former Madagascar central bank governor Henri Rabarijohn. “As we scale into full-spectrum financial services, the calibre and diversity of our Board is vital to ensuring disciplined innovation, responsible governance, and pan-African impact,” Gelebart added.
The company did not disclose new capital backing the transition but confirmed it is pursuing partnerships to support growth. Its revenue mix currently comes from transaction and payment fees as well as financial services.
Small and medium enterprises sit at the heart of AXIAN’s plan. The company already serves nearly 500,000 merchants monthly and aims to reach millions by 2030 through restocking credit, improved payment terms, and cross-border settlement tools. AXIAN believes these offerings can transition SMEs from cash-based operations which it sees as its biggest competition into structured financing that supports expansion and job creation.
Looking ahead, AXIAN plans to scale longer-term loans, insurance, investments, and eventually mortgages products that remain scarce in its operating markets. While acknowledging technical and regulatory hurdles, particularly around issuing larger loans digitally and managing cross-country risk, the company says automation and AI-driven underwriting will be crucial to its growth.