Payment Systems and Financial Infrastructure Course

This five -day course builds a clear understanding of payment systems and the financial market infrastructure that underpins them. It covers the architecture of national and regional payment systems, real time gross settlement and clearing, mobile money and card scheme interoperability, oversight and risk in payment systems, and the innovations reshaping how money moves. Participants leave able to understand, oversee or contribute to payment system operations and strategy.

Payment systems are the plumbing of an economy, invisible when they work and disruptive when they do not. Behind every salary payment, mobile money transfer, card swipe and interbank settlement sits an infrastructure of rules, systems and institutions that most people never think about. In Africa this infrastructure has evolved fast, from real time gross settlement systems linking banks to mobile money platforms that now move more value than cash in several economies, and increasingly to regional systems connecting countries directly.

This course builds a working understanding of that infrastructure, grounded in how African payment systems are actually structured and overseen. It covers the architecture of national and regional payment systems, real time gross settlement and clearing, mobile money and card scheme interoperability, the oversight and risk management that keep systems safe, and the innovations, from instant payments to digital currencies, reshaping how money moves. Participants leave able to understand payment system architecture, assess risk within it, and contribute to strategy and oversight with confidence.

• Explain the role and architecture of a national payment system
• Distinguish between real time gross settlement and deferred net settlement systems
• Analyse the clearing and settlement process for different payment types
• Evaluate interoperability between mobile money, banks and card schemes
• Assess risk within payment systems, including settlement and liquidity risk
• Apply oversight principles used by central banks and regulators
• Appraise the role of instant payment systems and regional payment integration
• Evaluate emerging developments including digital currencies and open payments
• Contribute to payment system strategy and risk management

This course is suitable for:

• Payments and operations staff in banks
• Central bank payment systems and oversight staff
• Mobile money and payment service provider staff
• Fintech and digital payments staff
• IT and systems staff supporting payments
• Card scheme and switch operator staff
• Risk and compliance staff overseeing payments
• Professionals moving into payments or financial infrastructure roles

The course uses a systems focused, case based methodology, mapping real payment system architectures and working through settlement and interoperability scenarios.

• Expert led sessions and facilitated discussion
• Payment system architecture mapping exercises
• Settlement and interoperability case studies
• Payment system risk and oversight scenarios
• A daily practical session building towards a payment strategy briefing
  

Organisations whose teams participate in this training can expect:

• Stronger understanding of payment system risk and dependencies
• Better informed participation in national and regional payment initiatives
• Improved interoperability planning across channels and partners
• More effective oversight of payment related risk
• Faster, more informed response to payment system incidents
• Stronger engagement with regulators and payment system operators
• Better positioning to adopt new payment innovations
• Reduced settlement and operational risk exposure
• A more resilient, more payments literate institution

Participants completing this course will gain:

• A clear, working understanding of payment system architecture
• The ability to assess settlement and interoperability arrangements
• Stronger command of payment system risk and oversight principles
• Greater confidence in payments strategy and policy discussions
• A valued, increasingly important specialism
• Sharper awareness of emerging payment innovations and their implications
• A practical toolkit for analysing payment system design
• Stronger cross-institutional credibility on payments matters
• A stronger platform for senior payments or infrastructure roles

At Strategic Revenue Africa, our certification goes beyond proof of attendance—it represents practical competence and measurable capability. Upon successful completion of our training programs, participants are awarded a Certificate of Completion from Strategic Revenue Africa, recognizing their ability to apply acquired knowledge in real-world settings. As an organization focused on architecting sustainable revenue and strengthening organizational performance, our certifications signal that participants are equipped with skills that drive results, not just theory.

A basic understanding of banking is helpful. The course suits those working in payments, operations, technology, oversight or strategy within banks, central banks, mobile money operators or payment service providers.