The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has launched a new initiative to strengthen the country’s digital payments infrastructure by partnering with the Mojaloop Foundation to develop local technical expertise and support financial technology innovation.
The initiative, titled the Mojaloop Country Accelerator Programme for Pakistan, is the first project under the SBP Innovation Hub Collaboration Framework, established as part of the central bank’s Vision 2028 strategy.
According to an official announcement issued on November 3, 2026, the programme aims to connect Pakistani financial institutions, fintech companies, technology providers and payment operators with international expertise to develop practical digital payment solutions.
The initiative was inaugurated at the SBP headquarters in Karachi, with representatives from the central bank, Mojaloop Foundation, commercial banks, financial institutions, technology companies, fintech firms and academic institutions attending the ceremony.
SBP Deputy Governor Saleem Ullah said the partnership would provide Pakistani professionals with access to international technical knowledge and help local institutions turn innovative ideas into practical payment solutions.
SBP Introduces 16-Week Digital Payments Training Programme
The Mojaloop Country Accelerator Programme will run for 16 weeks, from November 2026 to February 2027.
The Mojaloop Foundation, a nonprofit organisation responsible for maintaining Mojaloop’s open-source payment software, will support the initiative through programme development, technical training and expert-led learning sessions.
The programme combines self-paced learning with specialist sessions designed to help participants understand digital payment infrastructure and its practical implementation.
It primarily targets three groups within Pakistan’s financial technology sector:
- Local payment system implementers
- Digital financial service providers
- Payment hub operators
Participants will develop technical knowledge of interoperable payment systems and gain access to the international Mojaloop technical community. This will allow them to exchange expertise, receive continued technical support and learn from implementation practices in other markets.
The programme is intended to help Pakistani institutions develop the skills required to design, operate and support modern digital payment infrastructure.
What Is Mojaloop and How Can It Support Pakistan?
Mojaloop is an open-source payment software platform designed to help financial institutions connect different payment systems and facilitate interoperability.
According to the Mojaloop Foundation, its mission is to promote financial inclusion by supporting organisations that develop interoperable payment systems.
The technology provides a framework through which banks and other financial service providers can exchange payments across different systems.
Its official technical documentation explains how the software supports functions such as participant connectivity, payment processing, clearing and settlement arrangements.
For Pakistan, developing local expertise in this technology could help financial institutions explore more efficient ways to connect payment services and improve interoperability.
However, the accelerator is primarily a capacity-building initiative. Its launch does not mean that Mojaloop has already been deployed across Pakistan’s banking system or that existing payment infrastructure will immediately be replaced.
Innovation Hub Supports SBP Vision 2028
The Mojaloop partnership is the first initiative under the SBP Innovation Hub Collaboration Framework, which provides a structured platform for cooperation between the central bank and financial technology stakeholders.
Established under SBP Vision 2028, the Innovation Hub aims to encourage technological innovation, knowledge exchange and collaboration across the financial services industry.
According to the central bank, the framework will facilitate partnerships among financial institutions, fintech companies, technology providers, regulators and academic organisations.
The initiative follows SBP’s broader objective of developing an innovative and inclusive digital financial services ecosystem.
The central bank has identified technological innovation and financial inclusion as important elements of its strategic priorities for the country’s financial system.
Digital Payments and Financial Inclusion in Pakistan
The latest initiative comes as Pakistan continues to expand its digital financial services and electronic payment infrastructure.
Developing technical expertise within local institutions is important for ensuring that banks, payment operators and fintech companies can introduce and manage new financial technologies.
Greater interoperability between payment systems can potentially make digital transactions more accessible and improve the movement of money between participating financial institutions.
The SBP-Mojaloop collaboration is intended to support this development by connecting local professionals with international technical expertise.
The programme will continue through February 2027, with its longer-term impact depending on how participating institutions apply the training and technical knowledge to real-world payment infrastructure.
