Angolan kwanza added to SADC-RTGS payment system
The South African Reserve Bank and Banco Nacional de Angola have introduced the Angolan kwanza as a settlement currency in the SADC-RTGS system. Announced on July 27, 2026, the move aims to lower cross-border transaction costs and boost regional integration.
Multicurrency milestone for southern Africa
Lesetja Kganyago, Governor of the South African Reserve Bank and Chairperson of the SADC Committee of Central Bank Governors, and Manuel Tiago Dias, Governor of the Banco Nacional de Angola, announced the formal integration of the Angolan kwanza into the SADC real-time gross settlement system.
The kwanza becomes the second settlement currency in the regional infrastructure, which has processed transactions exclusively in South African rand since its launch in 2013.
Participating central banks across the fifteen member states aim to reduce foreign exchange conversion requirements, streamline cross-border payments, and align with international goals for faster and more efficient regional trade and financial settlement.
Thirteen years of regional scaling
Operating under the management of the South African Reserve Bank, the payment infrastructure marked thirteen years of operation on July 13, 2026, handling R250.7 billion in monthly transactions.
In 2025, bilateral trade between Angola and fourteen partner states reached US$3.77 billion across nine currencies.
South Africa accounted for nearly sixty percent of volumes and seventy-nine percent of total value.
Authorities intend to incorporate additional regional legal tenders, including the Botswana pula, in subsequent phases.
Breaking the rand monopoly
Expanding settlement networks beyond a single dominant currency is an overdue step for regional financial integration.
While technical hurdles are low, actual adoption by commercial banks will dictate true success.
Reducing reliance on non-regional intermediaries remains the ultimate test for the SADC project.