Aminata Kane has been appointed as the new Senior Vice President and Head of Western and Central Africa for global payment leader Visa, effective from 4 September 2025.
Reflecting on her new role, Kane said, “I am deeply honoured to join Visa at such a pivotal moment for Africa’s digital transformation. I look forward to collaborating closely with our teams, partners, and public sector stakeholders to expand access, empower businesses, and deliver trusted, impactful payment solutions that drive sustainable growth and opportunity for all.”
The Senegalese-born executive will be based in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, where she will oversee Visa’s sub-regional operations across 23 markets. Her appointment forms part of a wider restructuring by Visa, which is reorganising its regional structure around four central hubs: Abidjan, Accra, Kinshasa, and Lagos.
Kane is no stranger to digital financial services, having spent over a decade working with Orange’s operations across the Middle East and Africa. She most recently served as Regional CEO for Orange Money Group, where she was responsible for services across 17 countries. During her tenure, she championed efforts to bridge the digital divide, notably through the creation of the Orange Foundation and Orange Digital Centre in Sierra Leone, initiatives aimed at equipping women and young people with digital skills.
Andrew Torre, Regional President for Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa at Visa, welcomed Kane’s appointment, saying, “We are excited to have her lead this dynamic region and believe that her strategic vision will help enhance our efforts to create more accessible and innovative digital payment ecosystems.”
He added, “Her leadership and deep expertise in digital financial services will be instrumental in driving Visa’s mission to expand financial inclusion across Western and Central Africa.”
Kane takes the helm at a time when mobile money and digital payments are seeing rapid growth across the region. Visa’s strategy in the region involves strengthening local partnerships, enhancing trust in digital payments, and supporting fintech startups through programmes such as its Fintech Accelerator. Addressing gaps in financial literacy and cybersecurity will also be a priority.
Kane’s professional journey began at Goldman Sachs before she moved on to consultancy work at McKinsey & Company in Paris. She holds degrees from HEC Paris and the MIT Sloan School of Management.
Her appointment is seen as a significant move for Visa, as the company aims to deepen its presence and accelerate digital and financial inclusion efforts in the region.
