Wave Côte d’Ivoire has joined the PI-SPI instant payment network, developed by the Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO). The mobile money operator is now listed among the authorized participants as of September 30, 2026, after having been absent from the list on July 31, 2026. This integration marks a significant expansion of the system in Côte d’Ivoire and throughout the UEMOA. Wave has also been authorized to join the platform in Senegal.
The PI-SPI platform enables money transfers in a matter of seconds from one account to another, regardless of the institution holding the account–whether it is a bank or a mobile operator. This service is offered free of charge to users. Its fundamental principle is interoperability, which enables competing networks to communicate with one another. This prevents customers from having to open multiple accounts to interact with their loved ones or suppliers.
In Côte d’Ivoire, the number of participants authorized to offer these services to the public has risen from 23 to 38, with no withdrawals from the network. Seven banks, including BICICI, BHCI, and Standard Chartered Bank, have joined the network. Two mobile money operators, Wave and Moov Money, now join Orange Money and MTN Money, bringing together the country’s four leading mobile money wallets. Six fintech companies, including Djamo, Julaya, and Sycapay, have also been added.
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This expansion is significant for financial institutions and consumers alike. For operators like Wave, integration into PI-SPI strengthens their market position by providing regional interoperability. It allows merchants to simplify their payment processing, reducing the number of mobile wallet stickers required. This trend promotes greater adoption of digital payments and healthy competition among different service providers.
The real challenge now lies in the public’s adoption and daily use of this platform. If merchants display only a single sticker for payments, it will mean that interoperability has become fully integrated into consumer habits. This BCEAO initiative is part of a broader regional effort to modernize payment systems. It promises to transform the landscape of financial transactions in the WAEMU.
Key Takeaways
The integration of Wave–a major player in mobile money within the WAEMU–into the BCEAO’s PI-SPI instant payment platform, one year after its launch, represents a crucial step toward the digitization of regional financial transactions. This initiative aims to create a unified and truly interoperable payment ecosystem, enabling fast, fee-free money transfers between banks and mobile operators, regardless of the institution holding the account.
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The significant expansion of the network to 175 participants in the WAEMU–with Senegal leading the way and Côte d’Ivoire accounting for more than one-fifth of the total–highlights the scale and scope of this transformation. By eliminating the need for consumers and merchants to juggle multiple accounts or apps for their daily transactions, the BCEAO is actively seeking to simplify the user experience and massively boost the adoption of digital payments.
The true success of this interoperability will be measured by its ability to move from official announcements to widespread and intuitive everyday use, symbolized by the reduction in the number of different payment stickers at merchants’ locations. This regional momentum is essential not only for financial inclusion but also for economic modernization and market integration in West Africa.