Global payment giant Visa has appointed Senegalese-born Aminata Kane as its Senior Vice President and Head of Western and Central Africa, effective September 4, 2025.

According to a company announcement on Tuesday, the appointment is part of a restructuring effort at Visa, which is now organising its operations in the region around four key hubs: Abidjan, Accra, Kinshasa, and Lagos.

Based in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, Aminata will lead Visa’s newly established sub-regional team, covering 23 markets ranging from major economies such as Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire to developing digital ecosystems in the Sahel and Congo basin.

By establishing the Orange Foundation and the Orange Digital Centre in Sierra Leone, Kane has spearheaded initiatives that empower youth and women through technology. According to Visa, she has remained committed to promoting leadership and shaping individuals’ digital skills for their future.

Visa’s Regional President for Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, Andrew Torre, said that Kane’s leadership and deep expertise in digital financial services will be instrumental in driving Visa’s mission to expand financial inclusion across Western and Central Africa.

“We are excited to have her lead this dynamic region and believe that her strategic vision will help enhance our efforts to create more accessible and innovative digital payment ecosystems,” he added.

The development comes in light of Visa’s expansion in West and Central Africa, a region where mobile money services are growing.

While the space holds high potential, circumventing structural challenges, inflexible operations, and limited platforms continues to hinder seamless payment. Also, several SMEs operate in low-banking environments, thereby creating financial inclusion gaps.

For Visa, addressing these barriers includes prioritising inclusive innovation, enhancing local partnerships, and scaling programs such as its Fintech Accelerator to support early-stage digital payment ventures. Making this a success involves building trust in an ecosystem where cybersecurity and financial literacy threaten digital finance.

Aminata Kane’s experience is pivotal for Visa’s expansion

Aminata Kane is a respected figure in digital financial services and telecoms, where she has over a decade of experience from Orange’s operations in the Middle East and Africa.

Recently, she served as the regional Chief Executive Officer for Orange Money Group, where she oversaw its services across 17 countries. As an advocate for digital inclusion, she also founded an Orange Digital Centre in Sierra Leone to equip youths and women with digital skills.

Kane is a graduate of HEC Paris and the MIT Sloan School of Management. She began her professional journey at Goldman Sachs and joined McKinsey & Company as a consultant in Paris, where she gained experience in financial strategy, transformation, and market expansion.

She has been recognised as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum and ranked among the 100 most influential female CEOs in Africa.

Kane expressed that the appointment is a unique opportunity for her to shape a more inclusive, innovative ecosystem that reflects the talent, ambition, and potential of Western and Central Africa.

“I am deeply honoured to join Visa at such a pivotal moment for Africa’s digital transformation. I look forward to collaborating closely with our teams, partners, and public sector stakeholders to expand access, empower businesses, and deliver trusted, impactful payment solutions that drive sustainable growth and opportunity for all.”

Kane will build on years of work to advance digital and financial inclusion across Africa and the Middle East at Visa.

[technext24]