MasterCard, Equity Bank to Introduce PayPass Enabled Debit and Prepaid Cards in Five African Markets

MasterCard

and Equity Bank of Kenya today announced an agreement at a signing ceremony in Nairobi to issue five-million MasterCard-branded debit and prepaid cards, over the next 18 months. This program empowers African consumers to use electronic payments which provide a safe and secure way to pay versus cash and other forms of payment. As a result of the partnership, MasterCard debit and prepaid cards with chip-enabled technology will be issued, first into the Kenyan market and then extended into Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, and South Sudan, signaling the largest rollout of EMV payment cards in sub-Saharan Africa to date. The cards will also introduce MasterCard® PayPass™ with the first ever installation of PayPass enabled point of sale