Liberia Launches Africa’s Fastest Instant Payments System in 73 Days

Liberia just did in 73 days what many countries take years to achieve. A new instant payments system is live—and Africa is watching.

MONROVIA, Liberia — December 16, 2025 — Liberia has launched a nationwide instant payments switch linking its two largest mobile money providers in just 73 business days, a rollout pace officials and industry experts say is the fastest recorded deployment of the Mojaloop payments infrastructure anywhere in the world.

Updated 12:00 UTC

IIPS is now officially launched in Liberia!
Banks, mobile wallets & government services are now connected, making payments faster, simpler & more accessible for everyone. #FinancialInclusion #InstantPayments #Liberia
Read more?https://t.co/BnKHZNBUaG pic.twitter.com/2ISWDPFIQ9
— AfricaNenda (@AfricaNenda) December 16, 2025

The Central Bank of Liberia (CBL) confirmed that the Inclusive Instant Payments System (IIPS) is now live, allowing real-time, interoperable transactions between Lone Star Cell MTN Mobile Money and Orange Money Liberia. According to the CBL, the platform is powered by Mojaloop, an open-source payments framework developed to promote financial inclusion and reduce fragmentation in digital finance systems.

Officials said the system enables users to send and receive funds instantly across networks, eliminating delays that previously characterized inter-operator transfers. The bank described the deployment as a major step in modernizing Liberia’s national payments architecture.

Reactions

Financial sector regulators welcomed the launch as a structural shift. CBL officials said the compressed implementation timeline demonstrated what is possible when regulators, mobile network operators, and technology partners align around a single national objective.

Mobile money operators also highlighted operational gains. Executives from both MTN Liberia and Orange Liberia noted that interoperability reduces friction for customers and expands transaction volumes without requiring users to hold multiple wallets.

Among users, traders, and small business owners in Monrovia said instant transfers could significantly reduce reliance on cash, particularly for daily settlements and supplier payments. Civil servants interviewed by local radio stations said near-instant salary disbursements could ease household cash-flow pressures.

Context & Significance

Liberia’s rollout comes as digital finance adoption accelerates across Africa. According to data cited by the Central Bank, Liberia surpassed its national financial inclusion target in 2024, reaching 52 percent account ownership—driven largely by mobile wallets, which now number more than 11 million registrations in a country of about five million people.

The IIPS launch also marks the first live, real-money deployment of Mojaloop version 17, which includes enhanced capabilities designed to support future cross-border payments. Mojaloop is backed by a global community of central banks, fintechs, and development partners focused on interoperable, low-cost payments.

Analysts say the implications extend beyond Liberia. Many African economies remain heavily cash-based, with fragmented mobile money ecosystems. Liberia’s experience suggests that rapid, regulator-led interoperability is achievable even in smaller markets, potentially offering a template for peers in West and Central Africa.

What’s Next

The Central Bank said the next phase will focus on onboarding additional financial institutions and government agencies, with priority given to government-to-person payments such as salaries and social transfers. Officials said processes that once took several days can now be completed in seconds, improving efficiency and transparency.

Regional payments experts say attention will also turn to cross-border use cases, particularly within ECOWAS, as African central banks seek scalable solutions to support the continent’s growing digital trade ambitions.