In a significant development for the digital payments sector in Africa, Aminata Kane Ndiaye, a rising star in African tech and finance, has been appointed Senior Vice-President and Regional Director for West and Central Africa at Visa, the global leader in payment technologies. She will officially assume her role on September 4, 2025, from the regional headquarters in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
The region under Aminata Kane’s leadership encompasses 23 countries, from Nigeria to Gabon and Ghana to Chad, and will be organized around four hubs: Abidjan, Accra, Kinshasa, and Lagos. This territorial structure aims to bring Visa’s services closer to local realities and accelerate financial inclusion across the region. In a context where a significant portion of the population remains outside traditional banking systems, the mission is ambitious.
A graduate of HEC Paris and the MIT Sloan School of Management, Aminata Kane has built a career at the intersection of finance, strategic consulting, and telecommunications. After a notable tenure at McKinsey & Company, she made significant strides at Orange, particularly as the head of Orange Money Group, where she oversaw mobile money activities in 17 countries. Under her leadership, the subsidiary experienced rapid growth, integrating innovative solutions such as payment cards, digital credit, and cross-border transfers.
Her career began at McKinsey & Company, followed by roles at Goldman Sachs, BNP, and Medef. She also founded Fula&Style, a ready-to-wear brand made in Senegal. In 2013, she joined Orange Senegal as the Head of Loyalty, where she developed and implemented loyalty programs for the general public and high-value clients. By 2015, she was promoted to Head of Marketing Performance, excelling in strategic marketing and sales development. She later became the Marketing Director of Orange Money, significantly contributing to the growth of mobile money in Senegal.
In 2018, at the age of 33, Aminata became the CEO of Orange Sierra Leone. Her hard work led to a 20% increase in the company’s revenue, and by 2020, she was on the Board of Directors. Her exemplary career has earned her numerous accolades, including being named a Young Leader by the Franco-African Foundation in 2017 and a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum in 2019. She was also awarded the Best CEO in Africa at the AfricaCom 2020 Awards and has been listed among the top 100 women CEOs in Africa by Africa.com and Harvard University since 2021.
This trajectory demonstrates her ability to navigate complex environments, bridge the gap between large corporations and African realities, and design financial products tailored to local needs.
This appointment also strengthens female representation at the highest levels of the financial industry in Africa. In a sector still largely dominated by male figures, Aminata Kane embodies a generation of African women ready to take on strategic responsibilities at the intersection of technology, economics, and digital sovereignty.
Among her priorities are the development of interoperable payment solutions, support for local SMEs in their digitalization, collaboration with governments for modern public services, and the integration of Visa into the daily lives of Africans. In a region where digital payments are booming but access inequalities persist, the task is substantial.
However, if her career is any indication, Aminata Kane does not shy away from challenges. At just 40 years old, she is already a key player in African digital finance.
With this appointment, Visa is betting on pan-African, female, and forward-looking leadership. A strategic choice that could well reshape the digital payments landscape in West and Central Africa.
