• Visa trains banks and fintechs in Dakar through intensive program
• Initiative combines technical expertise with real-world case studies
• Group emphasizes talent investment alongside technology to improve services

Visa brought together electronic payment professionals from banks and fintechs across Francophone Africa in Dakar from March 23 to 27, 2026, as part of its Visa Landing Program (VLP), an intensive training initiative aimed at strengthening local skills in a fast-evolving sector.

Over five days, Visa’s Client Success team—Kossi Akakpo, Senior Consultant and Client Success Manager, Armel Meda, Consultant and Client Success Manager, and Nadia Lambara, Consultant and Client Success Manager—immersed participants in the Visa ecosystem through a program combining theory, technical expertise, and practical case studies.

“In a constantly evolving payments environment, mastering processes, data, and operational best practices is a key lever to improve performance, security, and customer experience (…) Beyond technology, we invest in talent to deliver high-quality services,” said Kossi Akakpo. The initiative reflects Visa’s broader ambition to support market players not only with robust payment infrastructure but also through knowledge transfer.

The training covered several core areas essential to electronic payments. Participants gained a comprehensive understanding of VisaNet and its role within the transaction ecosystem, as well as the full lifecycle of a transaction, from authorization to clearing and settlement.

Beyond the fundamentals, the program focused on operational performance. Sessions addressed ways to optimize authorization rates, reduce transaction declines, and better use Visa reporting tools to support decision-making. Dispute and chargeback management was also a key topic, approached from the perspective of responsibilities, best practices, and operational efficiency.

Rather than a traditional academic seminar, the program was designed as a collaborative learning platform. Experience sharing, interactive discussions, and real-world case studies tailored to regional market conditions played a central role. The goal was to encourage active participation, open dialogue, and practical exchange among professionals.

In a sector where technological innovation is advancing rapidly, the Visa Landing Program underscores a key message: sustainable transformation depends not only on technology, but also on well-trained, capable, and engaged professionals.