Flutterwave Elevates African E-commerce with New American Express Integration

In a significant advancement for digital commerce across Africa, Flutterwave has announced a groundbreaking partnership that enables Nigerian online merchants to process American Express payments. This strategic initiative, which reflects Flutterwave’s commitment to expanding payment options in the region, will subsequently extend to Tanzania, Rwanda, Ghana, and Uganda.

The integration represents a major step forward in connecting African businesses with global payment networks, allowing Flutterwave’s merchant network to accept transactions from all categories of American Express Card Members, including consumer, business, and corporate cardholders. This development significantly enhances the payment capabilities available to African e-commerce businesses.

With an impressive track record of processing over 630 million transactions valued at more than USD $31 billion, Flutterwave continues to demonstrate its leadership in African payment technology. The company’s sophisticated platform, which serves major clients like Uber and Air Peace through a unified API, showcases its ability to handle diverse transaction types across multiple industries.

The partnership delivers substantial benefits for the digital commerce ecosystem. Merchants using Flutterwave’s platform gain access to American Express’s extensive cardholder base, both within Africa and internationally. Simultaneously, American Express strengthens its African presence by expanding the locations where cardholders can utilize their cards for purchases.

Olugbenga ‘GB’ Agboola, founder and CEO of Flutterwave, emphasized the partnership’s alignment with their mission to facilitate connections between African and global commerce. He highlighted the importance of providing consumers with preferred payment methods while enabling businesses to expand their customer reach. The collaboration particularly enhances e-commerce operations by streamlining payment processes for American Express cardholders while supporting business expansion in both local and international markets.

The arrangement creates mutual benefits for both organizations. For Flutterwave, it reinforces its position as a comprehensive payment solutions provider while enhancing its service offerings. For American Express, it marks significant progress in its African expansion strategy, providing cardholders with broader payment acceptance across the continent.

Briana Wilsey, Vice President and General Manager of Global Network Services EMEA at American Express, underscored the partnership’s strategic importance, noting how it advances American Express’s African expansion while providing enhanced payment options for businesses and consumers. The collaboration enables Nigerian e-commerce merchants to reach American Express Card Members worldwide while increasing card acceptance locations within Nigeria.

This development represents a significant milestone in African e-commerce capabilities, demonstrating Flutterwave’s ongoing commitment to expanding payment options and facilitating cross-border trade. Through this collaboration, both companies contribute to the continued growth and sophistication of Africa’s digital payment ecosystem while creating new opportunities for merchants and consumers engaged in digital commerce.