The COMESA Business Council (CBC) has reaffirmed its commitment to expanding the Include EveryOne Program across all 21 COMESA member states, following a successful initial rollout in Zambia and Malawi.
Speaking during a progress briefing, CBC Chief Executive Officer Teddy Soobramanien praised the partnership between CBC and HiPipo, emphasizing the significant progress already achieved in promoting digital and financial inclusion among informal cross-border traders, women and youth entrepreneurs, and FinTech innovators.
“We have initially covered two countries (Zambia and Malawi) and the results have been tremendous. The program is empowering traders, young people, and women entrepreneurs, and we are confident that it will produce future leaders in the FinTech ecosystem,” Soobramanien said.
He highlighted the Include EveryOne Program as a model of effective collaboration, noting that partnerships like this are essential for the success of large-scale, high-impact initiatives. “By working together, we are able to leverage each other’s strengths and ensure real, measurable impact,” he added.
Launched in East Africa, the Include EveryOne initiative promotes the adoption of secure digital financial services as a key pathway to financial inclusion. In Zambia and Malawi alone, the program has reached thousands, including participants of the Women in FinTech Hackathon, FinTech companies under the 40 Days 40 FinTechs campaign, and informal women traders operating along key trade routes such as the Mwami-Mchinji border.
Soobramanien also underscored the program’s alignment with CBC’s Digital Financial Inclusion Project, which seeks to increase the participation of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in regional trade, boost intra-African trade volumes, and enhance the visibility of locally made products within regional markets.
“Increasing digital access and usage is vital if we’re to address the low levels of financial inclusion across our region,” he said. “We’re also developing a regional online retail payment platform that will make it easier for small businesses, especially women and youth-led enterprises, to trade across COMESA borders.”
He expressed gratitude to the Gates Foundation for their support in actualizing the Include EveryOne initiative and called for additional backing as CBC looks to scale the program region-wide.
“With COMESA spanning 21 countries, the potential for impact is immense. We hope to secure further support so that more countries can benefit from the digital and financial inclusion gains being recorded in Zambia and Malawi,” Soobramanien concluded.
