Algeria’s telecom sector is expanding further into digital financial services, with Djezzy Payment Services, a subsidiary of telecom operator Djezzy, receiving authorisation from the Bank of Algeria on September 23, 2026, to establish itself as a Payment Service Provider (PSP).
The approval represents the first establishment authorisation issued under Algeria’s new PSP framework. However, Djezzy Payment Services will still need to obtain a final operating licence from the central bank before it can begin offering payment services to customers.
The move could introduce greater competition into Algeria’s digital payments market by giving consumers another option for making payments through a telecom operator. However, Djezzy Payment Services will not operate as a bank. Instead, the PSP framework creates a regulated category of financial intermediary authorised to provide specific payment services.
Algeria established the legal foundation for PSPs through Law No. 23-09 on Monetary and Banking Law, while Regulation No. 25-02 subsequently established rules covering the creation, licensing and operation of payment service providers. Djezzy’s authorisation therefore represents the first major step in implementing the new framework.
READ ALSO: EGYPT AND ORANGE EXPLORE NEW TELECOM INVESTMENT AND AI PARTNERSHIP
Following the approval, Djezzy has up to 12 months from notification to submit its application for the final operating licence. Once licensed, PSPs may provide services including electronic payments, transfers, deposits and withdrawals, as well as potentially operating through agent networks, subject to the Bank of Algeria’s requirements.
The new framework forms part of Algeria’s broader efforts to reduce reliance on cash, expand digital payment adoption and increase participation in the formal financial system. The entry of regulated non-bank companies could provide additional channels through which individuals and businesses access digital financial services.
