AXIAN, founded in 2015, already operates MVola, one of the leading mobile money services in the archipelago. The new institution will sit separately under full prudential supervision and marks a major step in the group’s broader Digibank & Fintech strategy, which aims to build scalable, secure and interoperable digital financial systems across Africa.
For Comoros, where limited branch networks and inter-island travel obstacles have held back banking access for decades, the Central Bank sees digital models as essential to expanding inclusion and modernising the national financial system.
Digital credit from day one
The new entity will begin with mobile-based nano-loans and micro-loans that offer near-instant credit decisions and disbursements. AXIAN says these products are designed for everyday needs, from working capital and healthcare to school fees and supporting informal traders.
The institution will operate entirely without branches. Additional digital financial products will be rolled out gradually, following a measured roadmap aligned with regulatory expectations and customer needs.
By combining MVola’s national reach with supervised digital lending, AXIAN intends to serve people even in remote areas such as Anjouan, where many residents remain far from traditional bank branches.
Strengthening financial inclusion
Comoros has made progress thanks to mobile money, but access remains uneven. MVola, Holo Money and Huri Money have widened payments access, yet gaps persist in regulated credit and formal financial products.
AXIAN argues that regulated, mobile-first lending can become the missing link, helping households manage shocks and enabling small entrepreneurs to grow without relying on informal lenders. The group also sees Comoros as a pilot market before exporting the model to other AXIAN countries including Madagascar, Senegal, Togo and Tanzania.
The move aligns with the Central Bank’s long-term target to reach 75% financial inclusion by 2030.
Erwan Gelebart, CEO of AXIAN’s Digibank & Fintech cluster, called the licence a turning point for the group and the country.
“This license marks a decisive step in AXIAN’s ambition to build inclusive and sustainable financial ecosystems in the Comoros and across our markets. It strengthens our Digibank & Fintech activities and enhances the impact of Mixx and MVola by enabling regulated financial services to complement our existing mobile financial capabilities.
“Concretely, this means that an individual or a farmer in Anjouan will be able to access a nano-loan directly from their mobile phone, without the need to travel to a bank branch. This initiative reflects AXIAN Digibank & Fintech’s broader commitment to empower individuals and entrepreneurs by making secure and accessible digital financial services universally available, “he said.
