Ecobank Taps Google Cloud to Accelerate Digital Banking Across Africa

Banking

Thursday, 03 July 2025 14:42

Ecobank Taps Google Cloud to Accelerate Digital Banking Across Africa

Partnership to deploy Apigee API management and BigQuery analytics in 33 markets.
Bank aims to boost SME financing and financial inclusion in low-banking regions.
Collaboration underscores growing demand for digital financial services on the continent.

Pan-African lender Ecobank has partnered with Google Cloud to speed up its digital transformation and broaden access to financial services across Africa. The partnership was disclosed on July 2, 2025.

Under the agreement, Ecobank will integrate Google Cloud’s advanced tools—including Apigee for API management and BigQuery for data analytics—to streamline money transfers, improve payment access, and deliver personalised banking services in 33 African markets.

“This marks a decisive leap in our digital transformation journey,” said Jeremy Awori, Ecobank Group CEO.

The collaboration will focus on co-developing secure, scalable solutions tailored to Africa’s fast-growing demand for digital finance. Ecobank said it plans to leverage artificial intelligence and smart data collection to bring banking closer to customers and lay the foundation for a more connected fintech ecosystem.

The bank expects the initiative to strengthen support for small and medium-sized enterprises, facilitate financing, and create intuitive banking tools accessible even in underbanked regions.

However, challenges remain, including cybersecurity risks, infrastructure limitations, and the need to raise awareness among rural populations.

REFORMS OVERVIEW

STARTING A BUSINESS (more info)

At the fifteenth position, worldwide, and first in Africa, under the Starting a Business index of the 2020 Doing Business ranking, Togo sustains its reformative dynamics with more reforms….

ENFORCING CONTRACTS (more info)

Compared to some years ago when it was one of the lowest rankers under the Doing Business’ Enforcing Contracts indicator, Togo, leveraging many efforts to improve its business climate, was able to jump significantly on the index in the recent years... .

CONTRACT EXECUTION (more info)

Creation of special chambers of commerce for small debts • Creation of chambers of commerce at the Court of Appeal • Civil and commercial cases now handled by distinct clerks • Establishment of commercial courts in Lomé and Kara • Lawyers and bailiffs now have access to the FORSETI COMMERCIAL platform • A maximum period of 100 days was fixed to settle a commercial dispute .

TRADING ACROSS BORDERS (more info)

In comparison to previous years,Togo has significantly improved its ranking under the“Trading across borders” indicator by adopting multiple reforms that focus mainly on the digitization and reduction in delays, for import and export procedures related to import and export.

In comparison to previous years, Togo has significantly improved its ranking on the “Trading across borders” index by adopting multiple reforms that focus mainly on the digitalization and reduction in delays, for import and export procedures related to import and export.

CONSTRUCTION PERMIT (more info)

After moving from the 133rd to 127th place under the 2020 Doing Business’ construction permit index, Togo intends to reiterate this feat in the coming edition of the global ranking. To this end, it has introduced this year multiple reforms.

GETTING ELECTRICITY (more info)

Over the past two years, Togo’s ranking under the Doing Business’ Getting electricity and water indicator has increased consistently. Owing this performance to multiple reforms aimed at making it easier for businesses to access power and water, Lomé plans to introduce even more reforms this year to keep up its improvements.

REGISTERING A PROPERTY (more info)

Out of all the 'Doing Business’ indicators, Property Registration is where Togo has improved the most since 2018. Indeed, after spending years in the lowest part of this ranking, the country now seeks to beat Rwanda which is the best performer on this index in Africa. To do so, Lomé has been introducing many reforms, with the latest batch implemented this year.

PUBLIC PROCUREMENT (more info)

From professionalization to digitization, through legislative regulations, Togo’s public procurement framework is constantly being modernized. Several reforms have been implemented to improve the sector much to the benefit of the private sector, which is the focus of the National Development Plan.

PAYING TAXES AND DUTIES (more info)

To improve its business environment, Togo introduced some important reforms related to the payment of tax and duties. From the replacement of some taxes to the cancellation of others through exemptions, the country has only one objective: offer the most attractive tax framework to investors and economic operators. To achieve this, the authorities relied on digitization.