MONROVIA, Liberia – The Central Bank of Liberia (CBL) today signed the participation and service level agreements with Lonestar Cell/MTN Mobile Money and Orange Money to advance the operations of the Inclusive Instant Payment System (IIPS).
The participation agreement outlines how CBL, MTN Mobile Money, Orange Money, and ThitsaWorks (the Switch Operator) will work together to smoothly and securely operate the instant payment platform.
The Service Level Agreement (SLA) sets the rules and performance standards for all participating institutions.
These actions move Liberia closer to a modern, safe, and fully interoperable national payment system where customers can send and receive money instantly across different networks.
Participation Agreement Strengthens Collaboration
The participation agreement, which runs for an initial three-year period, may be renewed for additional three-year terms upon mutual agreement.
According to the agreement, CBL will:
- Hold and manage the settlement accounts (Liquidity Accounts) in both USD and LRD.
- Process daily settlements and ensure timely fund transfers.
- Provide daily reports for transparency and oversight.
- Support proper reconciliation of all transactions across networks.
- Move funds between providers when instructed by the Switch Operator.
“For me, today’s signing is a dream come through, because it’s been our aspiration to enhance financial inclusion. We cannot operate in an economy where you have others excluded from financial services,” said Executive Governor, Henry Saamoi, adding, “We cannot eradicate poverty from our midst if we don’t bring everyone in the same financial ecosystem.”
The Agreement will also ensure MTN Mobile Money and Orange Money:
- Maintain their required settlement accounts at CBL.
- Keep minimum liquidity balances to support smooth daily transactions.
- Allow the Switch Operator to send settlement instructions.
- Share needed information with CBL for compliance and monitoring.
‘Today’s signing marks that giant step towards the financial inclusion agenda of the Liberian people,’ said Abubakari Halidu, Lone Star Cell/MTN Mobile Money General Manager. Mr. Halidu praised the cooperation of his Orange Money counterpart.
Orange Money Chief Executive Officer, Maxwell Dodd called the signing “a great milestone”, saying the Mobile Network Operators hope that the Liberian people will be happy.
The Agreement will also ensure the network Operator, ThitsaWorks will:
- Operate the national switch technology.
- Support daily reconciliation using Mojaloop transaction data.
- Provide advance notice for maintenance.
- Train and guide all participants on IIPS processes.
- Send all settlement instructions to CBL.
The agreement also includes procedures for dispute resolution, limits on liability, and rules for ending or renewing the arrangement, ensuring fairness and safety for all parties.
The Service Level Agreement Sets High Performance Standards
The Service Level Agreement (SLA) ensures strong performance and reliability as IIPS moves into live operations with real funds.
The SLA also sets penalties for late settlement, liquidity shortfalls, or system downtime to ensure all parties meet their responsibilities.
A Major Step Toward a Modern Digital Payments Future
Together, the participation agreement and the SLA reinforce CBL’s commitment to building a safe, inclusive, and reliable instant payment system. With MTN Lonestar Cell Mobile Money, Orange Money, government agencies, and ThitsaWorks fully aligned under clear rules, Liberia is moving closer to a fully interoperable digital financial ecosystem. Following the launch of the IIPS on December 16, Liberians will enjoy easier, faster, and more secure transactions anytime and across any participating network.
