Digital banking adoption is growing across the continent, driven by increasing smartphone penetration. However, rising digital fraud continues to pose significant security challenges. Strengthening authentication processes will help protect users, build trust in digital banking, and support the financial sector’s growth.

Digital identity verification and authentication provider Smile ID has announced a partnership with Plumery, a provider of digital banking experience systems, to enhance digital transformation and strengthen customer authentication for financial institutions across Africa.

Dustin Strydom, VP of Commercial at Smile ID, described the partnership as a pivotal step in strengthening financial security across Africa. He emphasized that integrating Plumery’s digital banking platform with Smile ID’s authentication technology provides scalable solutions that empower financial institutions in the digital era.

This collaboration allows banks, fintechs, and other financial institutions to integrate Plumery’s API-first digital banking platform with Smile ID’s advanced identity verification and fraud prevention tools. The integration aims to reduce implementation costs, improve authentication processes, and deliver secure, seamless digital banking experiences.

According to Smile ID's 2025 Fraud in Africa Report: Trends, Tactics, and Key Solutions to Tackle Fraud Effectively, digital banks experienced the highest fraud attempts in 2024, accounting for 35% of all biometric and document verifications, followed closely by microfinance institutions at 30%. These sectors remain prime targets for sophisticated schemes, including identity farming, account takeovers, and money laundering.

By embedding secure authentication processes directly into the digital banking journey, this collaboration enhances fraud detection, prevents account takeovers, and strengthens financial institutions’ ability to combat identity-related crimes

Hikmatu Bilali