Aminata Kane leads Visa’s West and Central Africa operations to scale inclusive fintech and digital transformation.
Aminata Kane, a Senegalese-French business leader, is advancing financial inclusion and digital innovation across Africa through transformative leadership in fintech. Recently (in June), she was appointed Senior Vice President and Head of West and Central Africa at Visa, a role effective from September 2025. Based across regional hubs in Abidjan, Accra, Kinshasa, and Lagos, Kane will lead operations in 23 countries, with a focus on deepening financial inclusion and strengthening digital payment ecosystems tailored to the African market.
A journey rooted in innovation and impact
Prior to joining Visa, Kane served as CEO of Orange Money Group since July 2024, the fintech subsidiary of Orange operating in 17 countries across the Middle East and Africa. In September 2024, she also became Chairman of Orange Bank Africa. Her tenure at Orange has been defined by aggressive fintech expansion, mobile money innovation, and a strong focus on inclusion.
She spearheaded initiatives such as mobile microcredit, pay-as-you-go solar energy payment systems, and e-education platforms, including free online classes and plans for a coding school. These interventions underscore her commitment to using technology to solve local problems and close access gaps.
A solid foundation in business and strategy
Kane holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from HEC Paris and an MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management. Her early career included roles at Goldman Sachs and McKinsey & Company in Paris, where she advised clients in telecoms, technology, banking, and consumer goods across Europe and West Africa.
She also founded a fashion brand, Fula&Style, which focused on affordable, climate-appropriate clothing for African women. Although the brand had international traction, it later ceased operations due to strategic shifts.
Her earlier work at Orange Senegal, where she served as Chief Marketing Officer for Orange Money, was pivotal. She grew the mobile money user base from 300,000 to 2 million in under three years by building out agent networks and leading grassroots financial education programmes. In 2018, Kane became CEO of Orange Sierra Leone, becoming the country’s first female telecom CEO. At the time, the business was loss-making. Under her leadership, it became profitable and achieved a 52% market share, expanding beyond telecom services into mobile financial services, solar payments, and education-focused community initiatives.
Her leadership style blends performance with purpose. She instituted a 50% gender-balanced executive committee, implemented salary parity, and promoted a culture of wellbeing and inclusion.
Recognition and forward momentum
Kane’s work has earned her numerous accolades, including being named Africa CEO of the Year in 2020 and a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum in 2019. In 2023, she was appointed Vice President of Orange Money in Africa and the Middle East, overseeing fintech strategy across the region.
Aminata Kane Ndiaye has championed impact through every chapter of her career, whether through financial access, youth empowerment, or gender equity. Her new role at Visa extends this mission further, empowering her to scale inclusive, tech-driven financial solutions for underserved populations across 23 African countries and accelerate the continent’s digital transformation.
