This chapter explores the potential of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to catalyze a unified African market for goods and services, aligned with the Pan-African Vision of “An integrated, prosperous, and peaceful Africa” as outlined in Agenda 2063. Despite AfCFTA’s framework for economic integration, regulatory fragmentation across African countries creates significant barriers to cross-border fintech expansion. Individual countries maintain unique and sometimes conflicting fintech licensing standards, obstructing the seamless flow of financial services, stifling innovation, elevating compliance costs, and limiting financial access for underserved populations. The absence of a comprehensive strategy for fintech license passporting under AfCFTA poses a critical challenge to establishing an inclusive, continent-wide financial ecosystem. This research analyzes how AfCFTA can support fintech license passporting, addresses obstacles to its implementation, and assesses the economic impact of achieving a harmonized regulatory model. The study aims to outline key benefits, challenges, and strategies necessary for fostering a collaborative regulatory environment that balances local requirements with a unified standard to drive efficient, secure, and scalable fintech operations across Africa.

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Toward a Continental Financial Ecosystem: The Implications of AfCFTA for Fintech License Passporting

  • Hammed Adedeji Ajani,
  • Saidu Patrick Conteh

摘要

This chapter explores the potential of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to catalyze a unified African market for goods and services, aligned with the Pan-African Vision of “An integrated, prosperous, and peaceful Africa” as outlined in Agenda 2063. Despite AfCFTA’s framework for economic integration, regulatory fragmentation across African countries creates significant barriers to cross-border fintech expansion. Individual countries maintain unique and sometimes conflicting fintech licensing standards, obstructing the seamless flow of financial services, stifling innovation, elevating compliance costs, and limiting financial access for underserved populations. The absence of a comprehensive strategy for fintech license passporting under AfCFTA poses a critical challenge to establishing an inclusive, continent-wide financial ecosystem. This research analyzes how AfCFTA can support fintech license passporting, addresses obstacles to its implementation, and assesses the economic impact of achieving a harmonized regulatory model. The study aims to outline key benefits, challenges, and strategies necessary for fostering a collaborative regulatory environment that balances local requirements with a unified standard to drive efficient, secure, and scalable fintech operations across Africa.