CDC-CI Capital Injects $1.4 Million into Julaya to Power Francophone Africa’s Payment Expansion
When Côte d’Ivoire’s state-backed investment arm, CDC-CI Capital, announced a $1.4 million investment in the payments startup Julaya, it wasn’t just another fintech funding headline. It was a signal that West Africa’s public sector is stepping in to strengthen one of the region’s fastest-growing financial ecosystems.
The deal, structured as convertible bonds worth 800 million CFA francs, was signed on October 17 2025 in Abidjan. It marks a strategic partnership designed to accelerate Julaya’s growth across Francophone Africa, particularly within the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA).
Building on a solid foundation
Founded in 2018 by Mathias Léopoldie and Charles Talbot, Julaya offers a digital payment platform for businesses that helps companies manage transfers, collections, and payroll disbursements through mobile money and bank channels. The startup already operates in Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, Burkina Faso, and other Francophone markets where business payments are still largely cash-based.
Julaya’s model simplifies corporate payments for SMEs, agribusinesses, and microfinance institutions that rely on mobile money infrastructure. In May 2025, it secured regulatory approval from the BCEAO to operate as a licensed payment institution (authorization number EP.CI.004/2025), solidifying its credibility in a tightly regulated market.
What CDC-CI’s investment means
CDC-CI Capital’s funding is part of its mandate to support Ivorian startups that drive financial inclusion and digital transformation. The investment gives Julaya more than just capital. It gives the company a government-backed vote of confidence that could attract further private investment into Côte d’Ivoire’s fintech scene.
The funds will go toward scaling Julaya’s operations, improving its payment infrastructure, and accelerating expansion across the UEMOA region. With the new investment structured as convertible debt, CDC-CI retains the option to convert its loan into equity once Julaya meets certain performance milestones. This flexible approach helps the startup secure capital without immediate dilution while aligning both parties toward long-term success.
Fintech meets public capital
This move highlights an interesting shift in Africa’s fintech funding landscape. While most African startups rely on venture capital from international investors, Julaya’s deal shows that local institutional funding is starting to take root. CDC-CI’s participation reflects a broader recognition that fintechs are not just profit-driven startups but essential enablers of regional trade, tax transparency, and digital financial inclusion.
Julaya operates in markets where mobile money accounts outnumber traditional bank accounts. In Côte d’Ivoire, more than 75 percent of adults use mobile money services, compared to less than 20 percent with bank accounts. For such economies, fintechs like Julaya are not merely intermediaries. They are infrastructure.
The Path to a Cashless UEMOA
Julaya’s challenge will now be turning its regional ambition into sustainable growth. Expanding across Francophone Africa means navigating different licensing regimes, managing interoperability between telecom and banking systems, and keeping transaction costs low. The company will need to balance rapid expansion with operational discipline if it wants to avoid the pitfalls that have slowed other regional fintechs.
Still, this deal positions Julaya as one of the most promising homegrown fintechs in Francophone West Africa. With a national investment fund now backing its growth, the company is better equipped to scale its model, deepen its financial services offering, and push further toward a cashless regional economy.
