Africa-Press – Eswatini. The Mojaloop Foundation, in partnership with the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL), ThitsaWorks (a Singapore-based company), and The AfricaNenda Foundation, has announced the launch of the Liberian Inclusive Instant Payments System (IIPS). This modern, real-time interoperable payments platform is powered by Mojaloop, an open-source infrastructure designed to promote digital financial inclusion. The IIPS will primarily enable mobile money transfers between Liberia’s two mobile network operators, Lone Star Cell MTN and Orange Liberia, marking a significant step in CBL’s efforts to digitize the national economy and enhance interoperability across key payment channels, including mobile money operators, commercial banks, microfinance institutions, fintechs, and government agencies.
Liberia has made notable strides in improving financial access. According to The World Bank Global Findex (2024), Liberia surpassed its 50% account ownership target ahead of schedule, reaching 52% by 2024, largely due to the rapid growth of mobile wallets, which now total over 11 million.
The deployment of Mojaloop’s open-source infrastructure allowed for the swift launch of IIPS in just 73 business days, making it the fastest Mojaloop implementation to date.
Steve Haley, Director of Market Development at The Mojaloop Foundation, expressed excitement about the rapid deployment of the IIPS. “Completing the first Government-to-Person (G2P) use case in 73 days and delivering Person-to-Person (P2P) capability in 111 days, culminating in a fully interoperable platform linking Lone Star Cell MTN and Orange Liberia, is an extraordinary achievement,” he said. “Liberia has traditionally been a cash-based economy, with many citizens needing two phones to transact on MTN and Orange. This launch shows that Mojaloop is not only cost-effective but also significantly faster to deploy than traditional systems.”
The IIPS is the first real-money deployment of Mojaloop v17, giving Liberia access to the latest cross-border and fintech integration features ahead of other markets. The platform will improve daily life for citizens and businesses by enabling fast, secure, and reliable digital transactions, reducing reliance on cash, and fostering greater financial inclusion. Government payments, such as salaries and social benefits, will become more efficient and transparent, with salary processing time reduced from seven days to mere seconds.
The system will also facilitate integration with Liberia’s nine commercial banks, Real-Time Gross Settlements (RTGS), Automated Clearing House Electronic Funds Transfer (ACHEFT), and the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS), laying the groundwork for further innovation and strengthening financial resilience across the country.
Haley highlighted the importance of local leadership in the project. “ThitsaWorks began as a subcontractor on the first Mojaloop deployment in Myanmar. Their leadership in Liberia demonstrates how today’s domestic partners are becoming tomorrow’s primary implementers, showcasing the growing capability and independence of the Mojaloop community.”
Miatta Kutteh, Director of Payment Systems at the Central Bank of Liberia, noted: “To stay competitive with our neighbors, we knew we needed to fully digitize Liberia’s economy. The implementation of IIPS is a significant first step toward creating a national electronic switch that integrates all market participants. Interoperability has long been a challenge in Liberia, particularly for rural and underbanked communities. Mojaloop provides a modern, secure infrastructure to drive this change.”
Dr. Robert Ochola, CEO of the AfricaNenda Foundation, emphasized the importance of the initiative: “The launch of Liberia’s IIPS is a key milestone in the country’s journey toward a more inclusive and interoperable payments ecosystem. It reflects strong leadership from the Central Bank of Liberia and effective collaboration across public and private stakeholders. This system will make everyday payments faster, more affordable, and more accessible, especially for underserved communities, while providing a solid foundation for future innovation and economic participation.”
Nyi Nyein Aye, Founder and CEO of ThitsaWorks, shared pride in the collaboration: “We are honored to have supported the Central Bank of Liberia in launching the IIPS. Through close collaboration with the CBL, the Mojaloop Foundation, and AfricaNenda Foundation, we brought both the technical platform and business operations to life. This achievement reflects the dedication of our team and our shared commitment to building a digital payments ecosystem that benefits all Liberians.”
The Central Bank of Liberia will host a launch ceremony today at the Ministerial Complex in Congo Town. The event will bring together key stakeholdeBetween 2016 and 2024 there were 193 internet shutdowns imposed in 41 African countries. This form of social control is a growing trend in the continent, according to a new open access source book. It has provided the first-ever comparative analysis of how and why African states use blackouts – written by African researchers.
The book, co-edited by digital rights activist and internet shutdown specialist Felicia Anthonio and digital researcher Tony Roberts, offers 11 in-depth case studies of state-sponsored shutdowns. We asked five questions about it.
How do you define an internet shutdown and why do they happen?
Put simply, an internet shutdown is an intentional disruption of online or mobile communications. They’re usually ordered by the state and implemented by private companies, internet service providers or mobile phone companies, or a combination of those.
The book argues that internet shutdowns are not legal, necessary or proportional in accordance with international human rights law. Shutdowns intentionally prevent the free flow of information and communication. They disrupt online social, economic and political life. So, each internet shutdown typically violates the fundamental human rights of millions of citizens. This includes their rights to freedom of expression, trade and commerce, democratic debate and civic participation online.
Our research looked at case studies from 11 countries between 2016 and 2024. It reveals these shutdowns are timed to coincide with elections or peaceful protests in order to repress political opposition and prevent online reporting.
In Senegal five politically motivated shutdowns in just three years transformed the country’s digital landscape. It cut off citizens’ access to online work, education and healthcare information.
The Uganda chapter shows how the government imposed social media shutdowns during the election. They were fearful of dissenting voices online including that of musician and politician Bobi Wine.
In Ethiopia internet shutdowns are timed to coincide with opposition protests and to prevent live coverage of state violent repression.
In Zimbabwe the government cut off the internet in 2019 to quell anti-government demonstrations.
It should be a concern that regimes are imposing these digital authoritarian practices with increasing frequency and with impunity.
What are the big trends?
The report warns that internet shutdowns are being used to retain power through authoritarian controls. Across Africa, governments are normalising their use to suppress dissent, quell protests and manipulate electoral outcomes.
These blackouts are growing in scale and frequency from a total of 14 shutdowns in 2016 to 28 shutdowns in 2024. There have been devastating consequences in an ever-more digitally connected world.
Internet shutdowns have also increased in sophistication. Partial shutdowns can target specific provinces or websites, so that opposition areas can be cut off. In recent years foreign states, military regimes and warring parties have also resorted to the use of internet shutdown as a weapon of war. This was done by targeting and destroying telecommunications infrastructure.
Ethiopia has experienced the most internet shutdowns in Africa – 30 in the last 10 years. They’ve become a go-to tactic of the state in their attempt to silence dissent in the Oromo and Amhara regions. Shutdowns are timed to coincide with state crackdowns on protests or with military actions – preventing live reporting of human rights violations. Ethiopia is a clear example of how internet shutdowns both reflect and amplify existing political and ethnic power interests.
Zimbabwe is one of many examples in the book of the colonial roots of shutdowns. The first media shutdowns in Zimbabwe were imposed by the British, who closed newspapers to silence calls for political independence. After liberation, the new government used its own authoritarian control over the media to disseminate disinformation and curtail opposition calls for justice and full democracy.
Towards the end of former president Robert Mugabe’s rule, the government imposed a variety of nationwide internet shutdowns. It also throttled the speed of the mobile internet, degrading the service enough to significantly disrupt opposition expression and organisation.
Sudan has experienced 21 internet shutdowns in the last decade. These have increased in recent years as the political and military action has intensified. Intentional online disruption has been consistently deployed by the state during protests and periods of political unrest, particularly in response to resistance movements and civil uprisings during the ongoing conflict.
Has there been effective resistance to shutdowns?
Activists resist by using virtual private network software (VPNs) to disguise their location. Or by using satellite connections not controlled by the government and foreign SIM-cards. They also mobilise offline protests despite violent repression.
Nigeria has not suffered the same volume of internet shutdowns as Sudan or Ethiopia. This is partly because civil society is stronger and is able to mount a more robust response in the face of state disruption of the right to free expression. When an internet shutdown has been imposed in Nigeria, the state has not enjoyed the same impunity as the government in Zimbabwe or elsewhere.
When Nigerians were unable to work online or participate in the online social and political life of the community, they took decisive action by acting collectively. They selectively litigated against the government. This led to the courts ruling that the internet shutdown was not lawful, necessary or proportionate. The government was forced to lift the ban.
How has 2025 fared when it comes to shutdowns?
We have seen both positive and negative trends in 2025. The total number of internet shutdowns across the continent continues to grow. The increasing ability of regimes to narrowly target shutdowns on specific areas is of great concern as it allows the state to punish opposition areas while privileging others.
On the positive side, we have seen resistance rise: both in terms of the use of circumvention technologies but also in the emerging ability of civil society organisations to stand up to repressive governments.
What must happen to prevent shutdowns?
The right to work, freedom of expression and association, and the right to access education are fundamental human rights both offline and online. African governments are signatories to both the Universal Convention on Human Rights and to the Africa Union Charter on Human and People’s Rights. Yet, politicians in power too often ignore these commitments to preserve their personal hold on power.
In some African countries citizens are now exercising their own power to hold governments to account but this is easier in countries that have strong civil society, independent courts and relatively free media. Even where this is not the case the constitutional court is an option for raising objections when the state curtails fundamental freedoms.
And while it is states that order internet shutdowns, it is private mobile and internet companies that implement them. Private companies have obligations to promote and protect human rights. If companies agreed collectively not to contribute to rights violations and refused to impose internet shutdowns, it would be a great leap forward in ending this authoritarian practice.rs from Liberia’s financial sector, including mobile money operators, commercial banks, government ministries, and international development partners. His Excellency President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr. will deliver the keynote address, reaffirming the Government of Liberia’s commitment to digital transformation under the ARREST Agenda.
theconversation
For More News And Analysis About Eswatini Follow Africa-Press
