Visa Inc. officially launched its first data center in Africa on Wednesday, a strategic move aimed at capitalizing on the continent’s burgeoning digital payments economy. Located in Johannesburg, South Africa, this new facility represents a significant expansion of Visa’s robust global processing network, VisaNet.
VisaNet currently powers over 100 billion transactions annually across 200 countries and territories worldwide. The establishment of a dedicated data center in Africa underscores Visa’s commitment to supporting the rapid growth of digital payments across the continent.
Africa’s digital payments economy is projected to reach an impressive $1.5 trillion by 2030. This explosive growth is being fueled by rapid advancements in internet penetration and concerted efforts towards greater financial inclusion across various African nations.
“Visa continues to be very committed to the growth of the economy on the continent and building the data centre, which is frankly one of very few that are built outside of our core locations, which are the U.S., the UK and Singapore, is evidence of this commitment,” Michael Berner, Visa’s head of Southern and East Africa said.
In South Africa, contactless transactions now account for over 60% of face-to-face payments, according to Berner.
“When we look at South Africa, we really see it as a digital innovator and a digital leader on this continent. So having this data centre here can actually be a launch pad for solutions that we take across the continent,” Lineshree Moodley, country manager for Visa South Africa, said.
The new data center is expected to provide localized processing capabilities, reducing latency and improving the overall efficiency of transactions for consumers and businesses throughout the region. This strategic infrastructure development positions Visa to play an even more central role in the evolution of Africa’s digital economy.
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