Africa races to prepare for AI-to-AI payments

Africa’s fast-growing fintech industry is being pushed toward a new digital payment era as experts warn that artificial intelligence systems may soon start paying one another for services without direct human involvement.

The shift, known as AI-to-AI payments, refers to situations where one AI system automatically sends money to another AI system to complete a task or access a service on behalf of a user or business.

For example, an AI assistant helping a small business owner could search for the cheapest supplier, confirm product availability, arrange delivery and make payment automatically. Another AI system may charge a small fee for verifying identity, checking fraud risk, processing data or providing delivery updates.

These payments are usually tiny amounts known as microtransactions. They could involve only a few kobo or cents per transaction, but experts say the numbers could become huge when millions of automated actions happen daily.

Babatunde Esanju, a senior software engineer and technology entrepreneur, told BusinessDay that Africa must begin preparing for this transition now instead of waiting for global technology companies to define the future of automated payments.

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According to Esanju, Africa has already made major progress in digital payments through mobile banking, fintech platforms and telecom-led services that allow people to transfer money, pay bills and shop online using their phones.

But he said the next stage of financial technology may no longer focus only on people paying people.

“The future of African fintech will also involve intelligent systems exchanging value on behalf of users and businesses,” Esanju said.

Industry experts say AI systems are becoming more advanced and are now capable of handling tasks beyond generating text or answering questions. Many AI tools can already compare prices, analyse information, recommend products and interact with other digital platforms.

As these systems become more independent, businesses may increasingly rely on them to carry out transactions automatically.

Analysts believe this could create demand for a new type of payment infrastructure designed specifically for automated machine-driven commerce.

For Africa, the issue is especially important because affordability remains a major concern for businesses and consumers. Many startups and small businesses cannot afford expensive software subscriptions or large technology costs.

Esanju said microtransaction systems could allow companies to pay only for the exact digital services they use, making AI tools more accessible to informal traders, creators, farmers, students and small enterprises. “This could reduce costs and open access to more digital services across Africa,” he said.

However, he warned that the technology also introduces new risks around trust, fraud and security. According to him, regulators and technology firms must answer difficult questions before AI-to-AI payments become widespread.

“Who gave the AI agent permission to spend money? How much can it spend? Can the transaction be traced? What happens if fraud occurs?” he asked.

Africa already faces serious concerns around cybercrime, digital fraud and weak identity systems in some countries. Experts say automated payments between AI systems could worsen those problems if strong safeguards are not introduced early.

Esanju said future payment systems must be built on verified digital identity, customer consent, transaction transparency and spending controls.

He explained that every AI agent handling payments should be linked to a verified person, company or platform, while users should also have the ability to control limits and permissions.

The warning comes as African fintech companies increase investments in artificial intelligence to improve lending decisions, customer support, fraud detection and business automation.

Global technology companies are also developing more advanced AI agents capable of carrying out tasks online with minimal human involvement.

Analysts say this could eventually reshape industries including banking, healthcare, logistics, e-commerce and telecommunications.

Esanju said Africa should move quickly to build systems that fit its own economic realities instead of copying models from foreign markets. “Our payment habits, fraud risks and business environment are different,” he said. “Africa needs infrastructure that understands its own challenges.”

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He added that technology adoption in Africa has historically succeeded when people trust the system and see clear value from it, pointing to the growth of mobile money and digital banking across the continent.

Experts believe the debate around AI-to-AI payments could soon become more urgent as businesses search for cheaper and faster ways to automate services.

For regulators, the challenge may now be balancing innovation with consumer protection while ensuring that future digital payment systems remain secure and affordable.

Esanju said Africa still has an opportunity to shape the future of automated digital commerce if it begins building trusted microtransaction infrastructure early enough. “AI agents may soon become part of everyday business. But the payment systems supporting them must be safe, transparent and trusted,” he said.