Kora has joined the International Air Transport Association’s IATA Financial Gateway to give airlines and travel agencies a single route into Africa’s payments network. The integration lets users of IFG accept cards, bank transfers, mobile money and local alternative payment methods without building separate connections market by market.
IATA Gateway Gets Kora
The move links global airlines to Africa’s payment ecosystem through one infrastructure layer, cutting the need to manage multiple integrations on their own. For carriers selling into Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, Egypt and South Africa, the practical change is that payment acceptance can sit inside one gateway rather than across several local arrangements.
Over 370 Airlines, 85% of Traffic
IATA represents over 370 international airlines and accounts for some 85% of global air traffic, giving IFG a wide distribution base. Dickson Nsofor, chief executive of Kora, said the partnership shows the infrastructure is ready for global airlines to expand into Africa without managing payment complexity. “Africa is not a market to figure out later. It is a growth opportunity that demands serious infrastructure today. Our partnership with IATA signals that the rails are ready. Global airlines no longer have to choose between expanding into Africa and managing payment complexity. With Kora inside IFG, they get both.”
300 Million New Passengers
Africa is expected to add more than 300 million new passengers by 2050, which is why the payment layer matters for airlines trying to scale now. Kora already provides pay-ins, payouts and settlements across Africa, and the gateway connection extends that reach to airlines and travel suppliers using IFG.
That growth story still runs into friction: fragmented local payment rails, FX complexity, disconnected settlement systems and multiple payment service provider relationships have made African expansion harder than the traffic numbers suggest. Kamil Al-Awadhi, Regional Vice President, Africa and Middle East, said, “IATA Financial Gateway (IFG) enables increased travel payment processing flexibility for the world’s airlines and travel suppliers to build a cost-effective travel payment strategy. Kora’s participation strengthens our ability to serve airlines operating in or expanding across African markets,”
