On the counter of an Abidjan eatery, it is not uncommon to see 4 stickers aligned near the register, one for each accepted mobile wallet. Instant payment promises to reduce these to a single action through the PI-SPI.
Wave Côte d'Ivoire has just reached the threshold for this mechanism. Indeed, absent from the list of 31 July 2026, the operator now appears on that of 30 September.
PI-SPI is the instant payment platform designed by the Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO). Its principle can be summarized in one sentence: transferring money in a matter of seconds from one account to another, regardless of the institution holding it, whether a bank or a telecommunications operator, and furthermore, at no cost.
This capability to enable communication between competing networks is called interoperability. It spares a client from needing to open as many accounts as their contacts or suppliers possess. 15 arrivals in 2 months The list of participants authorized to offer these services to the public has grown, for Côte d'Ivoire, from 23 to 38 names, with no departures.
Seven banks have been added, including BICICI, BHCI, and Standard Chartered Bank. Two mobile money operators, Wave and Moov Money, join Orange Money and MTN Money, meaning the 4 major wallets in the country are now united.
Six fintechs complete the movement, among them Djamo, Julaya, and Sycapay. Non-banking actors have increased from 5 to 13, representing a multiplication by 2,6; compared to an increase of 39% for banks, which grew from 18 to 25.
A regional dynamic The momentum extends beyond Ivorian borders, with the UEMOA list growing from 104 to 175 participants (+68%). Senegal maintains the lead with 43 actors and an increase of 79%, while Côte d'Ivoire, with 38, accounts for slightly over one-fifth of the total.
Notably, Wave has also appeared in Dakar between the two dates. The real test will now play out in usage, for if the eatery owner eventually keeps only a single sticker, it will be the sign that interoperability has moved from press releases into pockets.
Published on 02/10/26 12:02 Dr. Ange Ponou
