World Bank Joins AfDB and Mastercard to Boost Africa’s Digital Economy

The World Bank Group has officially joined the African Development Bank Group (AfDB) and Mastercard as co-chair of the Mobilizing Access to the Digital Economy (MADE) Alliance: Africa, a transformative initiative aiming to provide digital access to 100 million individuals and businesses across the continent by 2034.

Launched in May 2024, the MADE Alliance is designed to accelerate digital inclusion by improving access to secure, affordable broadband, seamless digital services, and data connectivity, with a particular focus on agriculture and rural communities. The World Bank Group’s entry strengthens the alliance’s ability to implement wide-reaching, data-driven strategies.

Sangbu Kim, World Bank Vice President for Digital, said the organization’s participation would help scale sustainable digital transformation. “By bringing together our digital expertise, global knowledge, and local experience, we can help scale lasting, transformational impact,” Kim said.

The alliance is prioritizing digital agriculture, leveraging World Bank-supported “Digital Agriculture Roadmaps” to expand services to farmers. This aligns with AfDB’s core goals to “Feed Africa” and “Improve the Quality of Life for the People of Africa.” The Bank has already committed $300 million toward the MADE initiative’s first five years.

“The MADE Alliance is closing the digital divide by connecting smallholder farmers to vital tools that increase food production, market access, and incomes,” said Dr. Beth Dunford, AfDB Vice President for Agriculture, Human and Social Development.

Tara Nathan, Mastercard’s EVP of Community Pass, welcomed the World Bank’s addition: “The World Bank brings enormous expertise in digital transformation and agriculture. Together, we can deploy resources more efficiently and accelerate impact.”

Already, the Alliance has made progress:

• In Tanzania, 50,000 sunflower farmers are now accessing digital payment tools.
• In Kenya, 13 farmers’ cooperatives have received affordable high-speed internet and digital skills training, benefiting 10,000 farmers and communities.
• The Kenya National Farmers’ Federation is training 250,000 farmers to become more attractive to financial institutions, with support from AfDB.

Other MADE Alliance members include Microsoft, Equity Bank Group, Syngenta Foundation, Shell Foundation, Heifer International, Yara, Sustainable Agriculture Foundation, Tanzania’s CRDB Bank, Unconnected.org, and IFAD (which joined in April 2025).

With three global development giants now co-leading, the MADE Alliance is well-positioned to unlock Africa’s digital potential and improve millions of livelihoods across the continent.