Wednesday 16th July 2025
By inAfrika Reporter
ACCRA, Ghana In a move set to transform digital payments across West Africa, Ghanaian fintech firm Blu Penguin has partnered with digital payment leader Network International to integrate mobile money capabilities into the widely-used N-Genius™ point-of-sale (POS) system. The result is a more inclusive and seamless payment experience that merges mobile wallets with traditional card payments all on a single terminal.
Mobile money use in Ghana has exploded over the past decade, reaching more than 60% of adults and surpassing traditional banking services. Yet, despite this growth, many merchants and SMEs face limited infrastructure for accepting both card and mobile money payments efficiently. Until now, they were often forced to choose between two payment systems or operate both separately, increasing cost and reducing convenience.
The partnership between Network International and Blu Penguin bridges that gap. Through the N-Genius™ POS device, merchants can now accept a broader range of payment methods, allowing consumers whether they have a bank card or just a mobile phone to transact with ease. The goal is to simplify commerce and expand digital financial inclusion for all income levels.
Network International, which has operations in over 50 countries, brings its robust acquiring infrastructure and decades of experience in secure digital payment systems. By teaming up with Blu Penguin, the two companies are aiming to scale interoperable payments across West Africa, starting in Ghana and expanding into other countries like Côte d’Ivoire and the Democratic Republic of Congo, where Blu Penguin already operates.
This strategic collaboration allows Blu Penguin’s payment platform to work seamlessly with Network’s merchant network, making it possible for businesses to accept mobile payments from all major telecom operators in Ghana including MTN Mobile Money, AirtelTigo Money, and Vodafone Cash all through one terminal. The system also supports merchant-initiated payments, push-to-pay options, and instant transaction confirmation, offering flexibility for both consumers and business owners.
According to Sebastian Yalley, CEO of Blu Penguin, the vision is long-term: to integrate financial services across fragmented markets and create more equitable access to the digital economy. “What we’re building is a gateway for small businesses to grow,” he said. “We’re eliminating the need for multiple devices and helping merchants reach more customers by accepting all forms of payment.”
Chinwe Uzoho, Network International’s Regional Managing Director for West Africa – Processing, highlighted the potential for scale: “This partnership reflects our shared ambition to lead West Africa’s payment transformation. It reinforces our belief that technology, when inclusive, can power real economic change.”
For Ghanaian SMEs and informal traders who make up a large portion of the workforce this solution offers a low-barrier entry into the formal economy. It enables them to track payments, access transaction histories, and eventually become eligible for digital credit and other financial products. These tools are critical in a region where access to capital and digital financial literacy remain key challenges.
The initial rollout of the integrated POS system has already begun in Accra, with a phased national expansion underway. Blu Penguin and Network International are also exploring additional features, such as mobile airtime top-ups, e-invoicing, and real-time inventory management to further support merchants.
This partnership is timely. As Ghana and its neighbors pursue national digitization agendas and push for broader financial inclusion, public-private collaborations like this one serve as a blueprint. They not only meet current demand but also build the infrastructure for a more resilient digital future.
With financial innovation increasingly driving economic growth across the continent, the union of mobile money and card systems marks a new chapter one where every payment counts, and everyone, regardless of their banking status, is part of the economy.
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