Network International and Blu Penguin Partner to Drive Digital Payments in Ghana

In a transformative step for Ghana's fintech ecosystem, Network International, a premier digital commerce enabler across the Middle East and Africa, has announced a strategic partnership with Blu Penguin, a Ghana-based fintech and mobile money aggregator. The partnership aims to enable seamless mobile money transactions via Network’s N-Genius™ payment terminals, marking a major milestone in advancing financial inclusion and digital payment accessibility in Ghana and the broader West African region.

This collaboration will empower merchants and financial institutions to accept mobile money payments from all major providers through a single unified terminal, integrating both mobile money and card payments in one platform.

Expanding Payment Options Across Ghana

By enabling mobile money transactions through the N-Genius™ point-of-sale (POS) terminals, Network International is reinforcing its position as a third-party payment processor (TPP), expanding its service offerings and adapting to the changing demands of African markets. This move is especially important in Ghana, where mobile money usage far exceeds traditional banking penetration, providing financial access to millions of unbanked individuals.

Chinwe Uzoho, Regional Managing Director, Western Africa – Processing at Network International, underscored the broader goal:

“This partnership with Blu Penguin reinforces our commitment to advancing digital commerce and financial inclusion. By integrating mobile money transaction capabilities into our N-Genius terminals, we are providing a seamless payment experience that caters to both banked and unbanked individuals.”

A Unified App for Ghana’s Merchants and Banks

The collaboration also delivers value for banks and financial institutions, allowing them to leverage a unified application that accommodates both card and mobile money transactions, ultimately simplifying merchant operations.

According to Sebastian Yalley, Managing Director, Ghana – Processing at Network International, the integration offers banks and merchants enhanced flexibility and improved efficiency:

“This collaboration enhances our service offerings for banks by combining Blu Penguin’s robust mobile money capabilities with our industry-leading card infrastructure. This unified approach provides secure, accessible, and convenient payment capabilities for merchants.”

Blu Penguin’s Mobile-First Strategy Gains New Momentum

Blu Penguin, a fintech leader operating in Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, and DRC Congo, brings its mobile-first technology to the partnership. This ensures that mobile money transactions are processed securely and efficiently across major telecom networks, leveraging their aggregation expertise to provide a frictionless user experience.

Tenu Awoonor, Founder of Blu Penguin, highlighted the broader mission of the collaboration:

“This is a strategic effort to improve payment accessibility and convenience for merchants in Africa. Partnering with Network International allows us to equip banks and merchants with multiple payment options in one app, driving faster adoption and usage of digital payments to support broader financial inclusion.”

Addressing the Needs of a Mobile Money-Dominant Market

Ghana is one of the leading mobile money markets in Africa, with millions of users relying on services like MTN Mobile Money, Vodafone Cash, and AirtelTigo Money for everyday transactions. The Bank of Ghana has also embraced the shift, promoting interoperability and introducing regulatory support for digital financial services.

This partnership ensures that Network International’s N-Genius™ terminals can now process transactions from all mobile money providers, enabling merchants to offer real-time, secure, and diversified payment options — critical for serving a mobile-first customer base.

Broader Impact Across Sub-Saharan Africa

While the initial rollout is focused on Ghana, the partners have ambitious expansion plans. The goal is to scale mobile money enablement across Sub-Saharan Africa, using the Network-Blu Penguin model as a blueprint for regional interoperability and inclusive digital infrastructure.

This expansion aligns with Africa’s broader financial inclusion agenda, aiming to bring more individuals and businesses into the formal financial system, where they can access loans, insurance, and digital wallets.

Driving Innovation Through Collaboration

This partnership showcases how collaboration between infrastructure providers and fintech aggregators can bridge the gap between technology and accessibility. With Blu Penguin’s integration into Network’s acquiring platform, both partners are combining agility and scale to serve a diverse and evolving customer base.

As digital transformation accelerates across Africa, partnerships like this one are critical for unlocking value and delivering solutions that meet people where they are — whether it's through a smartphone wallet or a POS terminal in a market stall.