Telecom
USDC Stablecoin to Expand Reach in Africa via Circle–Sasai Partnership
Circle Internet Group, Inc., one of the world’s leading internet‑financial platform companies, has entered a partnership with Sasai Fintech, a business within Cassava Technologies, to expand access to the USDC stablecoin across Africa and accelerate the adoption of internet‑native financial infrastructure in the continent’s fast‑growing digital economy.
USDC Stablecoin
Under the collaboration, an affiliate of Circle will integrate USDC—its fully‑reserved, dollar‑pegged stablecoin—into Sasai Fintech’s digital‑payments ecosystem, enabling faster, cheaper, and more transparent cross‑border and domestic transactions for African businesses and consumers.
USDC is issued by Circle’s regulated entities and is designed to be 1:1 redeemable for U.S. dollars, underpinning programmable payments, trade finance, and remittance flows across global blockchains.
The move is aimed at lowering costs, shortening settlement times, and reducing friction for Sasai’s enterprise and individual customers who rely on digital rails for business payments, cross‑border remittances, and mobile‑wallet transfers.
By combining Circle’s onchain infrastructure with Sasai’s existing platforms, the partnership seeks to connect African users more seamlessly to the global financial system without requiring them to leave familiar mobile‑money or wallet interfaces.
Sasai Fintech already operates across key African payment corridors, offering a unified suite of digital‑financial services that support business payments, inward and outward remittances for individuals and remittance operators, and mobile‑wallet solutions tailored to a mobile‑first user base.
Cassava Technologies’ Founder and Executive Chairman, Strive Masiyiwa, said Africa’s digital economy is entering a new era, driven by entrepreneurship, a mobile‑first generation, and the acceleration of intra‑regional trade under frameworks such as the African Continental Free Trade Area.
He added that integrating with the trusted and widely adopted USDC network will help drive financial inclusion and open transformative opportunities for businesses and consumers alike, especially in underserved or underbanked communities.
Jeremy Allaire, Co‑Founder, Chairman and CEO of Circle, described emerging markets as the frontline of stablecoin adoption and singled out Africa as a significant opportunity for internet‑native financial innovation.
He said the partnership with Cassava will extend the benefits of USDC and onchain infrastructure into high‑growth payment corridors to deliver always‑on global connectivity for African users.
Stablecoin usage in Africa has grown rapidly, fuelled by mobile‑first consumers, cross‑border commerce, remittances, and the expansion of digital economies even in regions with limited banking penetration. Many African businesses, freelancers, and gig workers already rely on digital dollars and remittance platforms to invoice clients, receive payments, and hedge against local‑currency volatility.
The Circle–Sasai collaboration is expected to deepen this trend by embedding USDC more tightly into mainstream payment applications, allowing users to transact with stablecoins in a way that feels similar to mobile money, without the need to navigate complex crypto exchanges or self‑custody wallets.
Industry analysts say such integrations could also help reduce dependence on legacy correspondent‑bank networks, which often involve high fees and days of delays for cross‑border transfers.
Although the companies have not yet disclosed precise rollout timelines or a full list of initial target countries, observers expect the partnership to focus first on high‑volume markets such as Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, Ghana, and selected East and Southern African nations.
Over time, the tie‑up could support broader use cases, including trade finance, payroll for remote workers, diaspora remittances, and even government‑enabled social‑payment schemes that use stablecoins for efficiency and transparency.
Regulators across Africa will be watching closely, as the deal brings a regulated, dollar‑backed stablecoin deeper into consumer‑facing payment rails and may prompt further discussions on digital‑currency oversight, reserve disclosure, and interoperability with local currencies.
For now, the Circle–Sasai partnership signals a step toward a more connected, efficient, and inclusive financial ecosystem in Africa, where mobile money and programmable stablecoins are increasingly combined to serve businesses and consumers across the continent.
Lebara Nigeria has become a member of the Global System for Mobile Communications Association (GSMA) as it expands operations in the West African country.
The membership places Lebara Nigeria within a global network of more than 1,000 mobile operators, device manufacturers, technology companies and digital service providers.
Through the GSMA, the company will have access to industry research, technical standards, policy engagement and industry initiatives.
Lebara Nigeria said the move reflects its participation in the wider telecommunications ecosystem as it develops its operations in Nigeria’s mobile market.
Nigeria’s telecommunications sector plays a central role in the country’s digital economy, with more than 170 million active mobile subscriptions supporting services such as digital payments, e-commerce, education and healthcare.
Industry analysts say participation in international bodies such as the GSMA supports knowledge sharing and the adoption of industry standards.
Lebara Nigeria said GSMA membership will support its engagement with industry developments and policy discussions in the telecommunications sector.
The company said it remains focused on operating in Nigeria’s mobile telecommunications market as demand for connectivity continues to grow.
GSM Association is the advocacy and lobbying organization for the mobile communications industry, representing more than 1,000 mobile operators as full members and a further 400 companies in the broader mobile ecosystem as associate members.
Management of Vitel Wireless, mobile virtual network operator (MVNO), has distanced the company from a fraudulent scheme operating under the name: “Vitel Shares Services.”
In an official statement, the management clarified that Vitel Wireless is not selling shares or running any investment schemes.
They warned that the operators of “Vitel Shares Services” are using unauthorised websites, mobile applications, social media promotions, and bank accounts falsely linked to Vitel Wireless to mislead the public.
The statement reads: “The attention of Vitel Wireless has been drawn to a fraudulent scheme operating under the name ‘Vitel Shares Services.’
“We wish to state clearly that Vitel Wireless has no affiliation with Vitel Shares Services, or any platform claiming to offer Vitel shares, investments, or financial products through unofficial channels.
“We do not solicit investments through agents, social media, websites, apps, or third parties. Any platform claiming to offer Vitel Wireless shares or investments outside our official channels is fraudulent and should be treated as such.
“We urge the general public to remain vigilant and verify all information through official Vitel Wireless communication channels before making any payments or sharing personal data.”
Airtel Nigeria has concluded its second Customer Forum in Abuja, bringing together a large section of customers including high-volume data subscribers, 5G customers, and key stakeholders in another landmark engagement aimed at addressing concerns around data usage, transparency, and customer experience.
The forum themed “Understanding Your Data and Taking Control 2.0.” aimed to strengthen trust in Nigeria’s rapidly evolving telecommunications landscape. The session also featured inputs from representatives of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
Delivering the Keynote remarks, Dinesh Balsingh, CEO of Airtel Nigeria, who was represented by Femi Adeniran, Director, Corporate Communications and CSR, emphasised that trust remains the most valuable currency in telecommunications, and Airtel remains committed to strengthening customer confidence through transparency and continuous engagement.
He explained that discussions around data consumption have become increasingly important as digital lifestyles evolve, with smartphones, cloud services, video streaming and emerging artificial intelligence applications significantly influencing data usage patterns.
According to him, Airtel recently introduced the Airtel Data Calculator, an innovative tool designed to help customers estimate their data needs based on online activities such as multimedia streaming, video calls, social media usage, and gaming.
“The purpose of the Airtel Data Calculator is to provide greater visibility, support informed decision-making and place more information directly in the hands of customers. Because transparency should never be viewed as a compliance exercise. Transparency is good business,” he stated.
He further reassured customers that Airtel has no incentive to shortchange subscribers through inaccurate billing, forced spending or unnecessary data depletion, stressing that the company’s growth depends on customer satisfaction, loyalty and trust.
Adeniran also highlighted Airtel’s continued investments in network infrastructure, fibre capacity, digital platforms, artificial intelligence capabilities, customer service systems and workforce development, noting that these investments are aimed at improving service quality and enhancing customer experiences.
Oladokun Oye, Director, Customer Experience, Airtel Nigeria, while welcoming participants to the event, said the forum was created to provide customers with an open platform for education, engagement and problem-solving, noting that the customer remains at the centre of Airtel’s business.
“Data has become central to everyday life, powering work, education, commerce, entertainment, healthcare and countless opportunities. As data usage grows, so too does the desire for greater visibility and understanding.
Today’s conversation is part of an ongoing journey. A journey toward greater transparency. A journey toward deeper understanding. And a journey toward a better customer experience for every Airtel subscriber,” he said.
The forum also featured practical demonstrations on data consumption management, device settings, and usage habits that impact data usage. It also included an interactive session by which Airtel teams provided clarifications and offered feedback to customers.
The Abuja event follows the successful maiden edition held earlier this year in Lagos and aligns with broader industry efforts led by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to improve consumer awareness, transparency, and confidence within the telecommunications sector.
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