Connecting banks, payment networks and digital settlement rails. Imara is a multi-rail settlement switch built to connect financial institutions and payment networks across Africa. We enable financial institutions to route and settle transactions across banks, mobile money networks, payment providers, currencies and digital settlement assets through a single infrastructure layer.
Connect. Route. Settle. Reconcile.
The Platform
Africa's financial markets operate across fragmented banking systems, currencies, payment networks and liquidity pools. Imara brings them together. Through one integration, institutions can access multiple settlement routes and move value efficiently across markets.
Connect financial institutions and enable direct or routed bank-to-bank settlement.
Connect mobile money operators, payment service providers and other payment rails.
Access liquidity across currencies and optimize the settlement path for each transaction.
Capabilities
Settlement is the core. Imara connects it with structured payment messaging that helps banks, fintechs and enterprises reconcile funds across their existing systems.
Imara speaks the same structured payment language banks already use for interbank exchange. Settlement instructions, ledger journal entries and remittance data can be carried in ISO 20022 format where counterparties require it, so reconciliation stays rich rather than reduced to a free-text reference.
Settlement Lifecycle
One integration. Multiple settlement routes. A unified view across the entire settlement lifecycle.
Financial institutions and payment providers connect to Imara through APIs.
Imara determines the appropriate settlement route based on the transaction, currency, destination, liquidity and available rails.
The transaction is settled through the appropriate bank, payment network or digital settlement rail.
Imara provides a unified view of transactions across the entire settlement lifecycle.
Institutions
Integrate once. Reach multiple settlement rails. Imara is built for banks, fintechs, payment service providers, remittance companies, mobile money operators, FX providers and large enterprises.
Connect financial institutions and enable direct or routed bank-to-bank settlement across markets, with ISO 20022-compatible messaging for interbank exchange.
Integrate once and reach multiple settlement rails. Manage collections, payouts and reconciliation without rebuilding around a single technology.
Connect remittance companies and mobile money operators to banks, payment networks and digital settlement assets.
Access liquidity across currencies and optimize the settlement path for each corridor and transaction.
Developers
Financial institutions and payment providers connect to Imara through APIs. Route and settle across banks, mobile money networks, payment providers and digital settlement assets without rebuilding around a single technology.
Connect once and reach banks, payment networks and digital settlement rails through a single interface.
Imara selects the appropriate rail from currency, destination, liquidity and available routes.
A single view of transactions across the settlement lifecycle, with ISO 20022-structured data where counterparties require it.
1// Connect once and settle across the appropriate rail2const settlement = await imara.settle({3 from: "NGN",4 to: "KES",5 amount: 250000,6 destination: "inst_8f2a",7})89const route = await imara.route({10 settlementId: settlement.id,11 prefer: "best_path",12})
Cross-border
Traditional cross-border payments often require multiple intermediaries, fragmented integrations and complex reconciliation. Imara provides a common settlement layer between participating institutions.
Originating Institution → Imara → Settlement Rail → Imara → Receiving Institution
The underlying settlement mechanism can vary. The switch remains the same.
From domestic bank settlement to cross-border payments, Imara creates interoperability between institutions that operate on different systems. The goal is simple: make moving value across Africa as easy as moving data.
Africa does not need another wallet. It needs better infrastructure connecting the financial institutions, payment networks and liquidity pools that already exist. Imara is building that infrastructure.