Luanda — The Angolan Minister of State for Economic Coordination, José de Lima Massano, said on Thursday that the next phase of the National Financial Inclusion Strategy (ENIF) creates the conditions for mobile and digital payment service providers to evolve into offering credit.

The official, who was speaking at the opening of the 15th meeting of the African Financial Inclusion Policy Initiative (AfPI), noted that despite the short implementation period, the ENIF is already yielding encouraging results.

José de Lima Massano explained that this evolution will be supported by progress made in improving the business environment and macroeconomic stability, thereby creating conditions to expand financing for the economy through more innovative and accessible solutions.

He highlighted that, in June of this year, inflation recorded its lowest level of price variation since 2015, noting that an environment of greater stability protects household income, preserves savings, encourages investment, and creates better conditions for financing the economy.

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The Minister of State noted that the financial inclusion strategy--launched in December 2025--combines expanded access to financial services with strengthened financial literacy, digital infrastructure development, and consumer protection, aiming to facilitate broad access to financial services.

By way of example, José de Lima Massano highlighted the financial inclusion rate of 51.7% reached in the first quarter of this year, which is approaching the 65% target set for 2027.Regarding banking penetration, he noted that approximately 32% of the population--equivalent to 5.7 million citizens--is currently integrated into the banking system.

He revealed that the established goal is to raise this figure to 36% by 2027, thereby enabling roughly eight million citizens to access a bank account.

The Minister of State reported a sharp rise in mobile and digital payments, noting an increase of approximately 56% by the end of the first half of 2026 compared to the same period the previous year.

He argued that this outlook is bolstered by improvements in the business environment and national macroeconomic stability, citing as an example the inflation rate in June of this year (10.11%)--the lowest level of price variation since 2015.

"With lower inflation, we are better positioned to protect income, savings, and investments, while also boosting access to credit at more affordable costs," he pointed out.

In his view, easier access to credit will create new opportunities to develop innovative, comprehensive financial solutions, thereby accelerating financial inclusion and the sharing of gains derived from stability and economic growth.

The 15th AfPI meeting, a two-day event, brings together representatives from central banks, regulators, policymakers, and financial institutions to discuss challenges and opportunities for accelerating financial inclusion across the continent, as well as to strengthen regional cooperation and the sharing of best practices.

The event is part of the 50th-anniversary celebrations of the National Bank of Angola (BNA), which take place on November 5th.

Established in May 2017 during the 5th Annual Roundtable held in Maputo, Mozambique, the African Financial Inclusion Policy Initiative (AfPI) is the primary continental platform for regulators in the sector.

AfPI, which comprises 32 countries, emerged as the successor to the African Mobile Phone Financial Services Policy Initiative (AMPI), launched in February 2013. ACC/DC/DOJ