Starting in December, payment providers in Ethiopia must issue QR codes that meet the National Bank’s Standard for Interoperable QR Code Payments.
This mandate, announced at the Ethiopian Digital Payments Conference, introduces a single, universal QR standard developed by the national switch operator EthSwitch.
With this standard, Ethiopian merchants only need one QR code to accept payments from any bank or provider, eliminating the need for multiple codes tied to individual apps or banks.
Why It Matters: A Unified Payment System
Ethiopia’s move toward interoperable QR codes represents a shift toward inclusivity in digital payments. Unlike traditional QR codes restricted to specific apps, these standardized codes enable customers to pay seamlessly across platforms.
This transition supports Ethiopia’s broader efforts to strengthen its digital payment ecosystem, spurred by the National Digital Payment Strategy (2021-2024).
By The Numbers
- In the 2023/24 fiscal year alone, Ethiopia saw its digital payment system process over 2.7 billion transactions, worth more than 9.7 trillion birr, as digital accounts exceeded 198 million.
EthSwitch at the Core of Interoperability
EthSwitch, which already manages Ethiopia’s interoperability infrastructure for ATMs, PoS terminals, digital wallets, and banking systems, will oversee the integration of QR code interoperability.
By unifying the payment landscape, NBE aims to foster a more accessible, efficient digital economy.
Source: Shega
