Onafriq, Africa’s digital payments network, announced the appointment of Simon Black as an independent non-executive director on the board of directors of its holding company, Onafriq UK Holdings Limited, effective immediately.
He brings over three decades of experience building and scaling payments and technology platforms to support Onafriq’s next growth phase.
Black is widely recognized for turning promising fintech and software companies into industry leaders. As CEO of PPRO from 2015 to 2023, he transformed the German-based payments infrastructure provider from a budding start-up into a global powerhouse, growing revenue beyond €100 million and scaling the team to over 500 professionals worldwide. Earlier, as CEO of Sage Pay, he achieved tenfold revenue growth, positioning the company as a top player in SME ecommerce payments.
“Simon’s appointment comes at a transformative moment in Onafriq’s journey,” said Dare Okoudjou, founder and CEO of Onafriq. “To fulfill our mission of making borders matter less across Africa, we must build upon our strong foundations to create an even more resilient and innovative business. Simon’s exceptional track record of scaling fintech leaders and navigating complexity makes him the ideal chair to guide this next phase. His strategic expertise will be instrumental as we strengthen our position as Africa’s payments infrastructure backbone and accelerate financial inclusion throughout the continent.”
As Chair, Black will work closely with Okoudjou, the executive team, the board, and the shareholder base to provide strategic guidance, focusing on cross-border scale, global partnerships, and long-term value creation.
“Joining Onafriq is not only a professional privilege but also a personal commitment to a mission I deeply believe in,” said Black. “The company has built what is arguably the most extensive and sophisticated digital payments infrastructure on the continent—connecting over 500 million wallets and 200 million bank accounts across 42 African markets.
That scale, combined with a deep understanding of local markets, uniquely positions Onafriq to solve the continent’s most pressing payment challenges. I’m excited to support the team in shaping the future of cross-border finance in Africa and enabling seamless commerce at a scale the world hasn’t seen before
