The Mauritian government launched its National Fintech Strategy 2026–2030 in July 2026, developed with support from the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA). The ambition is unambiguous: to make Mauritius Africa's trusted fintech platform, building on its already established status as the continent's top International Financial Centre (IFC).
Figures that show the scale
Mauritius already carries significant weight in African finance. According to the Global Financial Centres Index, the island ranks No. 1 in Africa as an International Financial Centre. Financial and insurance activities account for 13.4% of GDP. Since 2010, funds domiciled in Mauritius have channelled over $80 billion into the African continent.
The centre hosts 450 international investment funds, operated through 19 banks, and counts around 5,000 millionaires — a population that has grown by 87% over a decade.
Six pillars for the fintech decade
The strategy rests on six axes: regulatory framework and innovation, digital infrastructure and cybersecurity, talent and skills, market growth, international cooperation and financial inclusion. On training, the target is to build fintech skills for more than 5,000 people annually.
Minister of Financial Services Jyoti Jeetun declared the government's intent to "establish the country as Africa's trusted fintech platform." A National Fintech Governance Council will oversee implementation through thematic working groups and a formalised evaluation framework through 2030.
The regulation-first bet
While other hubs chase innovation at all costs, Mauritius plays the regulatory predictability card. The island is among Africa's first nations to legislate on digital and virtual assets, and its Regulatory Sandbox Licence attracts fintechs in their testing phase. This "regulation-first" approach is seen as particularly attractive to large institutional asset managers.
Why it matters
The fintech strategy arrives as Mauritius simultaneously consolidates its African investment hub status — with $80 billion channelled into the continent — and seeks to capture a new wave of value from digital finance. Competition is intensifying: Casablanca, Kigali, Nairobi and Dubai are all courting the same talent and capital. Mauritius bets on its mature regulation, legal certainty and geographic connectivity to stay ahead in the race for the 21st-century African hub.