Bridging the Credit Gap with Flexible Payment Solutions

Visa, _able, and Onafriq have joined forces in a strategic partnership aimed at expanding credit access across Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (CEMEA).

The collaboration centers around Visa Flex Credential—a technology that allows issuers to offer multiple funding sources through a single card. This means existing debit or prepaid cards could potentially unlock credit lines for users.

Why this matters for African markets:

Across many African countries, debit and prepaid card adoption has surged while access to formal credit remains limited. Visa Flex Credential offers a way to leverage familiar payment experiences to extend financial services to underserved populations.

By combining Visa’s global network with _able’s digital lending infrastructure and Onafriq’s pan-African payments processing, the partners aim to simplify implementation for banks while broadening access to credit through existing channels.

“Most consumers across this region already hold a card, and very few can access credit through it,” noted Jad Abbas, Co-Founder and CFO of _able. “Visa Flex Credential turns that gap into a channel.”

This initiative aligns with broader efforts to drive financial inclusion by connecting capital providers with distribution networks—particularly in regions where digital payment adoption is outpacing credit access.

The partnership builds on previous collaborations between these companies, including their work expanding mobile money and crypto access across Africa.