Paving the way for a borderless Africa: How COMESA’s digital payment revolution could transform regional trade

In a bold and visionary move to spark economic growth and prosperity across the continent, Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) is rewriting the playbook on how Africans trade with one another. Comprising 21 Member States, the regional body is advancing its flagship Digital Retail Payments Platform (DRPP), a game-changing initiative designed to make cross-border transactions as easy as buying a cup of coffee in your local town.

Seamless payments

Imagine a world where a small business owner in Kigali can pay a supplier in Nairobi in local currency, no complex conversions, no sky-high fees, no long waiting times. That’s the vision behind DRPP.

Piloted along the Zambia–Malawi corridor, this innovative payment system aims to slash transaction costs and time by bypassing traditional intermediaries. For micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), informal traders and everyday citizens, this is more than convenience, it’s empowerment.

The rollout reflects COMESA’s careful, staged approach to building a secure and inclusive digital finance ecosystem. This is not just tech for tech’s sake; it’s about ensuring payment systems truly work for the people who need them most.

This isn’t COMESA’s first rodeo. The DRPP builds on the success of the Regional Payment and Settlement System (REPSS), which already allows seamless fund transfers across member states with end-of-day settlement in hard currencies, facilitated through the Bank of Mauritius as the Settlement Bank.

And let’s not forget the COMESA Virtual Trade Facilitation System (CVTFS), another flagship innovation. By integrating tools like the Yellow Card, RCTG, carrier licenses and harmonized axle load regulations into one online platform, CVTFS has already simplified trade processes and boosted efficiency across borders.

DRPP is simply the next big leap.

Why regional trade matters

Africa is a continent of promise. With 18.8% of the world’s population, it should be a trade powerhouse. Yet, the continent accounts for less than 3% of global GDP. Its trade, both in volume and content, remains underwhelming, constrained by fragmented policies, regulatory hurdles and outdated systems.

Regional trade agreements (RTAs) offer a powerful avenue for African countries to implement domestic reforms, open up to global competition, and build productive capacity at scale.

Take the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), the world’s largest free trade area by membership. Once fully implemented, it has the potential to boost Africa’s GDP by around 10% by 2043, lift 32 million people out of extreme poverty and increase income by 7–9% by 2035.

That’s not just economic growth, that’s transformation.

The East African Community (EAC) offers a powerful example of what’s possible. Through harmonizing monetary and fiscal policies, like ensuring currency convertibility, aligning banking regulations and synchronizing budget readings, the EAC has taken real steps toward an integrated regional economy.

This level of policy coordination is exactly what platforms like DRPP can accelerate, making trade more fluid, more inclusive and more competitive.

With platforms like DRPP, COMESA isn’t just upgrading payment systems, it’s reimagining African trade. A digital payments revolution can empower entrepreneurs, boost MSMEs, attract investors and weave a stronger economic fabric across the continent.