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*This award honors Wave’s participation in discussions focused on women’s access to financing, digital innovation, and the future of financial services.*
**Luanda (Angola), November 8, 2026** – Wave Mobile Money was awarded the African Disrupter Award at the Africa Financial Summit (AFIS) 2026, held last week in Luanda, Angola. This award recognizes Wave’s contribution to transforming access to financial services through affordable mobile money and a simple user experience.
As a Diamond Sponsor of the summit, Wave gathered representatives from its various African markets to engage with regulators, financial institutions, and industry leaders. Its participation addressed some of the most pressing issues in the sector: how to broaden access to financing, ensure that innovation benefits consumers, and build trust in increasingly interconnected payment systems.
The African Disrupter Award distinguishes companies whose innovations disrupt established market models, demonstrate significant growth, and create tangible impact. For Wave, this distinction underscores the importance of making everyday financial services more accessible to both individuals and businesses.
“Making financial services affordable and easy to use can change the possibilities for millions of people and businesses. This award recognizes that ambition, as well as the work our teams do every day to make it a reality,” said Coura Tine Sene, Regional Director and Head of Public Affairs at Wave. “At AFIS, we discussed how the financial sector can reach more people while gaining and preserving their trust. We remain committed to working with regulators and our partners to ensure these advancements translate into the daily lives of everyone.”
During the Women In panel, Coura Tine Sene participated in discussions on how alternative data can improve access to credit for women entrepreneurs. The session explored the potential of new credit assessment models, as well as the safeguards needed to prevent gender bias and ensure that innovation expands opportunities.
She also took part in a side event organized by AXIAN, which focused on how collaboration between regulators and financial service providers can support innovation, protect consumers, and strengthen payment systems in Africa.
Wave also contributed to debates on emerging technologies and financial oversight. Awa Gueye, Head of Public Policy, participated in a session dedicated to stablecoins and their role in a rapidly evolving digital financial landscape. El Hadji Malick Gueye, General Manager of Wave Senegal, was involved in a roundtable organized by Polytechs on payment traceability, coordinated oversight, and financial stability.
Additionally, Wave participated in a press conference and granted interviews to media during the summit, sharing its vision for the development of digital financial services and its approach to expanding access to these services across Africa.
Present in 11 African countries, Wave has over 25 million monthly active users and more than 4,000 employees. Its services enable individuals and businesses to send and receive money and manage their everyday payments, focusing on simplicity, transparency, and affordable rates.
Wave’s participation in AFIS reflects its commitment to dialogue with the entire financial ecosystem, as well as its ambition to make Africa the first cashless continent. The company remains dedicated to removing barriers to access financial services and enabling more individuals and businesses to participate in the digital economy.
**About Wave**
Wave Mobile Money offers radically inclusive and extremely affordable financial services to millions of users in Africa. We develop highly affordable solutions that allow customers to save and transfer money, helping them realize their dreams. We take pride in always putting the customer first.
