PAPSS has received the highest possible endorsement from the African Union Heads of State and the continent's Central Bank Governors, who have adopted it as the official payment and settlement platform for implementing the AfCFTA. This unified backing is crucial, as the system is regulated by the PAPSS Governing Council PGC, a body composed of the Central Bank Governors from participating countries. This "College of Governors" provides robust oversight, ensuring the platform's stability, security, and alignment with national monetary policies.
What began as a successful pilot in the West African Monetary Zone WAMZ has scaled at an impressive pace. As of 2025, the PAPSS network has expanded its footprint across four regions, connecting 19 countries, with over 150 commercial banks and 14 payment switches. This now includes a significant presence in North Africa, with countries like Morocco, Algeria, Egypt, and Tunisia on board, alongside growing corridors in East and Southern Africa.
This year, 2025, has been a critical turning point for Africa's payment sovereignty with the launch of two game-changing products. The "PAPSSCARD," Africa's first continental card scheme, was launched in June to challenge the dominance of foreign card networks. Hailed as a "bold move toward financial sovereignty," the card aims to keep processing, fees, and data within Africa. This was followed in July by the launch of the "PAPSS African Currency Marketplace" PACM, a platform for the direct, peer-to-peer exchange of African currencies, which one early corporate adopter called "a dream come true."