PAPSS is now live at ABC Bank. Here is more information about the service:
1. What is PAPSS?
The Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) is a cross-border payment platform that makes it easier for individuals and businesses to send and receive money across Africa. It enables customers to make instant payments directly from one bank account to another in participating African countries using local currencies.
PAPSS was launched on 7 July 2019 in Niger during the 12th Extraordinary Summit of the African Union (AU) Assembly and was adopted as a key enabler for the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The system is a product of the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) in partnership with central banks and financial institutions across participating countries.
2. How does it work?
Instead of routing an African payment through correspondent banks outside the continent, PAPSS processes the transaction within Africa instantly. The sender pays in their local currency (KES), while the recipient receives the funds in their own local currency through a participating bank or payment network. A USD-to-USD option is also available.
3. Where does it work?
PAPSS is currently available in 28 countries across East, West, and Southern Africa, with more countries joining. Current participating countries are (as of June 2026):
- West Africa: Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Gambia, Guinea
- North Africa: Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, Libya, Tunisia.
- Eastern Africa: Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, Djibouti, Comoros, Somalia, Tanzania, Uganda
- Southern Africa: Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Malawi
- Central Africa: Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of Congo, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea and Chad
4. Are there any countries where PAPSS cannot be used?
Yes. In regions where an existing regional payment system is already in place, payments are processed through that system instead of PAPSS.
For example, payments between East African countries that use the East African Payment System (EAPS) – Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and Rwanda- are processed through EAPS rather than PAPSS.
5. What are the benefits of PAPSS?
Through PAPSS, you will enjoy:
- Instant cross-border payments within Africa
- Affordable transaction costs
- Payments in local currencies
- Greater certainty on when funds will be received
6. Is PAPSS for everyone who walks into ABC Bank requesting the service?
PAPSS is currently available to ABC Bank account holders only, while non-customers will be able to access the service at a later stage.
The recipient’s bank must also be connected to the PAPSS network for the transaction to be successful.
View the participating banks by clicking on the following link:
https://papss.com/network/#commercial-banks
7. Who can send money on PAPSS?
Any ABC Bank customer can use PAPSS, including:
- Corporates
- SMEs
- Individuals
8. Is PAPSS safe?
Yes. PAPSS is built with multiple layers of security, governance, and regulatory oversight to ensure that payments are processed safely and securely. First, PAPSS is operated by the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) in partnership with participating central banks across Africa. Through this partnership, every transaction processed through PAPSS is subject to the regulatory requirements of the participating countries, ensuring compliance with applicable banking, anti-money laundering (AML), and counter-terrorism financing (CTF) regulations.
Secondly, PAPSS also employs robust information security measures, such as secure messaging, encryption, authentication protocols, and continuous system monitoring, to protect customer information and transaction data.
Finally, every financial institution connected to PAPSS must meet strict operational, compliance and security requirements.
9. How fast is PAPSS?
Most PAPSS payments are processed and settled instantly, making cross-border payments across Africa faster and more convenient.
10. How much does PAPSS cost to send payments?
The following are PAPSS charges exclusive of taxes:
| ABC Bank PAPSS Charges (for all currencies) | ||
| Transaction Range in Kes | Transaction Range USD equivalent | Bank Charge to the customer (USD) |
| Below 25,000 or equivalent | 200 | 3.5 |
| 25,001 – 45,000 | 200 – 360 | 5.5 |
| 45,001 – 75,000 | 360 – 600 | 8.5 |
| 75,001 – 100,000 | 600 – 1,000 | 12.5 |
| 100,001 – 250,000 | 1,000-2,000 | 14 |
| Above 250,000 | 2,001 | 15.5 |
11. What are the transaction limits for sending payments via PAPSS?
ABC Bank customers can:
- Receive up to USD 8,000 per transaction without supporting documents. Transfers above this limit require supporting documents.
- Send unlimited USD amounts. However, transfers above USD 3,500 per transaction require approval within the bank.
There is currently no daily transaction limit.
12. Can I send funds in USD?
Yes. In addition to local currency payments, you can transfer funds from a USD account to another USD account.
Charges listed in No.10 above apply
13. What happens when I walk into the branch for a transfer via PAPSS?
When visiting an ABC Bank branch:
- Request an over-the-counter transfer form for the PAPSS transfer form
- Fill out the Required Details: your ABC Bank account details, the recipient’s bank details, and the transfer amount
- Present your National ID or Passport
- Pay the Transaction Fee
- Confirm the Transaction on the receipt you receive after a successful transfer
14. When should PAPSS be my first option?
PAPSS is the best option when:
- Sending money to another African country
- You want faster settlement
- You are concerned about high charges
- You are doing business within Africa
- You are not sending payments to countries that use EAPS (East African Payments System)
Then PAPSS should be your first option!
N.B: For payments between countries that use the East African Payment System (EAPS), please use EAPS instead.
