Burundi Digitalizes Payments with the Launch of BurundiPay Payment Platform
Burundi has launched BurundiPay, a 24/7 payments platform linking bank accounts and mobile wallets.
The innovation will accelerate deposits, withdrawals, and transaction traceability for licensed lottery and betting operators as gambling oversight tightens ahead of mid-2026 reforms. The Central Bank of Burundi introduced the platform on April 23 as part of a broader effort to modernize the country’s financial infrastructure.
Central Bank of Burundi Governor Edouard Bigendako, commented that the app will be a 24/7 roll out app that is designed to support real-time digital payments across the country’s financial ecosystem. The platforms full interoperability connects various financial service providers, eliminating previous constraints and streamlining transactions. BurundiPay is built on international standards ,including ISO 20022, ensuring strong security and compatibility with global financial systems.
Access to instant payments across bank accounts and mobile wallets will expand regulated gaming channels in Burundi. Mobile money remains central to everyday transactions in many African markets, including payments linked to lottery and betting activity.
A Boost to Gaming!
Faster digital transfers and clearer payment records will help licensed operators process transactions more securely and make regulatory oversight easier. In Burundi, that development coincides with a broader push to bring gambling activity under formal licensing standards.
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The launch was Supported by the World Bank through the Digital Economy Foundations Support Project (PAFEN). Burundi is now the 22nd African country to adopt an instant payment system. The move aligns with a broader continental trend toward digital financial services as a driver of economic transformation.
The success of BurundiPay will depend on adoption by both financial institutions and users. If widely embraced, it could accelerate financial integration, support the growth of digital commerce, and improve transparency in economic transactions—key factors in advancing the country’s development goals.
