Best prepaid credit cards in Africa [2027]

A prepaid credit card is not a real card type; it usually refers to a prepaid card funded with your own money. Get the lowdown on seven prepaid and virtual card options in Africa

Key takeaways

• A prepaid credit card is not a distinct card type. Prepaid cards use existing funds, whereas credit cards offer a line of credit
• Seven card options in Africa include cards by WorldFirst, Grey, Chipper Cash, Eversend, ALAT by Wema Bank, Wafacash and UBA, each serving different payment needs
• The World Card is a virtual card that links to a multi-currency account, supporting business payments in 150+ currencies

Africa’s prepaid card market is growing. In Nigeria, the prepaid card market grew at a 23.2% CAGR from 2021 to 2025, but just 6% of adults used regulated credit products (as of 2023). Prepaid and credit cards make online payments more accessible, whether users spend their own funds or borrow against an approved credit limit.

This guide compares prepaid and virtual card options across African markets. It also explores the World Card by WorldFirst, which is a multi-currency card that can be funded in multiple currencies.

Is a ‘prepaid credit card’ available in Africa?

A prepaid credit card is not an actual financial product category. The term refers to prepaid cards or virtual payment cards, which work differently from credit cards. The difference between a credit card and prepaid cards are as below:

• Prepaid cards: Users load money onto the card and spend from the available balance. There is no credit facility or borrowing
• Credit cards: Issuers provide a credit limit that cardholders repay. Interest may apply when balances are not repaid by the due date
• Secured credit cards: Users deposit collateral to obtain a credit line. These are also credit cards with repayment obligations
• Virtual debit or payment cards: Digital cards linked to a bank account or multi-currency wallet, generally used for online transactions

Best prepaid and virtual cards in Africa

1. World Card by WorldFirst

The World Card is a virtual Mastercard connected to the World Account, a multi-currency account offered by WorldFirst. It uses funds available in the linked account, so African businesses do not need to top up the card separately before making purchases.

Businesses can pay international suppliers and cover online business expenses wherever Mastercard is accepted, with transactions supported in over 150 currencies. Payments in 15 supported currencies carry zero fees when the currency balance is sufficient. If funds need to be converted to complete a transaction, conversion fees may apply.

Key features of the World Card

• Receive and hold funds in over 15 currencies through the linked World Account, including USD, GBP, EUR and CNH
• Issue up to 20 virtual cards at zero issuance cost
• Allocate cards to employees or specific business expenses, with spending controls and real-time transaction monitoring
• Freeze and unfreeze cards as required to control access
• Earn cashback on eligible transactions, subject to applicable terms and conditions

*Fees checked in October 2026

2. Grey Virtual USD Card

Grey offers virtual Visa cards in Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana and Morocco.^1,2  Users can spend from supported USD, EUR or GBP balances, without loading funds in the card separately for each transaction.¹  Apple Pay, Google Pay and 3D Secure are supported as well.¹ Other currency payments may incur charges of up to 2% plus US$0.50.³

*Fees checked in October 2026

3. Chipper Cash Virtual USD Card

Chipper Cash offers virtual prepaid USD cards to users in Nigeria and Ghana for online payments at Visa-accepting merchants.^4,5,6,7  Cards are funded from the user’s Chipper wallet, with a fee of US$0.90 per transaction in Nigeria and US$0.10 in Ghana.^7,8,9,10

*Fees checked in October 2026

4. Eversend Virtual USD Card

Eversend offers a prepaid virtual USD Visa card in Nigeria, Kenya and Ghana.^11,12  Users can transfer money from their Eversend wallet to the separate card balance before paying online.¹³  Transactions in currencies other than USD may incur a 3.5% foreign exchange fee plus US$0.50.¹⁴

*Fees checked in October 2026

5. ALAT Virtual Dollar Card

Wema Bank’s ALAT app lets Nigerians create a virtual Dollar card funded by converting Naira at the bank’s exchange rate, including an FX markup.¹⁶  The Visa or Mastercard supports balances up to US$20,000 and remains valid for three years.^17,18,19 It cannot be used for POS payments or ATM withdrawals.²⁰

*Fees checked in October 2026

→ Learn how to convert USD to NGN

6. Wafacash Visa Prepaid Card

Wafacash’s Floussy is a prepaid card in Morocco that operates independently of a bank account.²²  Users activate it with an initial recharge and can top it up at Wafacash agencies.²²  It supports purchases, bill payments and ATM withdrawals, with daily cash withdrawals capped at MAD 6,000 and a card balance limit of MAD 60,000.²²

*Fees checked in October 2026

→ Learn how to convert USD to MAD

7. UBA Dollar Prepaid Card

UBA’s Dollar Prepaid Card is a reloadable card available in Nigeria and is not linked to a UBA account.²³  Users can fund it for international online purchases, subscriptions, digital advertising and ATM withdrawals.²³  It supports instant issuance and monthly spending of up to US$10,000.²³

*Fees checked in October 2026

Which prepaid card fits your needs?

The right prepaid card depends on how you plan to use it. Multi-currency business spending can be supported by a card linked to a multi-currency account, while virtual USD cards support online payments in selected African markets. For everyday purchases and cash withdrawals in Morocco, a reloadable prepaid card offers local payment options. Nigerian users can look for virtual Dollar cards for online spending and prepaid Dollar cards for international transactions.

FAQs

1. What is a prepaid credit card?

A prepaid credit card is not a separate card type. It refers to either a prepaid card, which you load with your own money, or a credit card, which lets you borrow money and repay it later.

2. What is the difference between a prepaid card and a credit card?

A prepaid card uses money loaded by the cardholder, so spending is limited to the available balance. A credit card lets the user borrow up to an approved limit and repay the amount later, with interest potentially charged on unpaid balances.

3. Can Africans get virtual USD cards?

Yes. Providers such as Grey, Chipper Cash, Eversend and ALAT offer virtual Dollar card options in selected African countries.^1,4,11,16  The World Card by WorldFirst is also a multi-currency card that supports USD plus 14 other currencies.

Sources

1. https://grey.co/cards
2. https://support.grey.co/en/articles/13404475-why-can-t-i-create-a-visa-card
3. https://support.grey.co/en/articles/13310983-faqs-on-mastercards
4. https://www.chippercash.com/chipper-card
5. https://support.chippercash.com/en/articles/7918118-ghana-how-to-claim-your-ghana-chipper-usd-card
6. https://support.chippercash.com/en/articles/6019377-nigeria-what-is-a-chipper-ng-usd-card
7. https://support.chippercash.com/en/articles/11066766-common-sites-where-chipper-virtual-card-can-be-used
8. https://support.chippercash.com/en/articles/8231871-fund-your-chipper-cards-directly-from-your-chipper-usd-balance-or-wallet
9. https://business.chippercash.com
10. https://support.chippercash.com/en/articles/5194944-how-to-claim-your-chipper-card
11. https://help.eversend.co/en/articles/9220938-how-to-fund-add-money-to-the-eversend-usd-virtual-card
12. https://help.eversend.co/en/articles/4418882-where-does-the-eversend-virtual-card-work
13. https://help.eversend.co/en/articles/9388305-is-my-eversend-wallet-balance-connected-to-my-usd-virtual-card
14. https://help.eversend.co/en/articles/10203368-what-are-the-international-payment-fees-on-eversend-virtual-cards
15. https://help.eversend.co/en/articles/8185032-eversend-virtual-card-fees
16. https://purpleconnect.wemabank.com/support/solutions/articles/67000524985-what-is-the-virtual-dollar-card-
17. https://purpleconnect.wemabank.com/support/solutions/articles/67000524987-what-is-the-maximum-amount-i-can-have-in-my-dollar-account-
18. https://purpleconnect.wemabank.com/support/solutions/articles/67000689466-prepaid-cards-faq
19. https://purpleconnect.wemabank.com/support/solutions/articles/67000524931-what-is-the-difference-between-mastercard-visa-card-and-verve-card-
20. https://purpleconnect.wemabank.com/support/solutions/articles/67000524986-can-i-use-my-virtual-dollar-card-for-a-money-transfer-
21. https://purpleconnect.wemabank.com/support/solutions/articles/67000524976-how-much-does-a-wema-prepaid-card-cost-
22. https://www.wafacash.com/en/nos-solutions/floussy
23. https://www.ubagroup.com/nigeria/personal-banking/cards/prepaid-cards/

The information contained is general only. Before acting on the information you should consider whether it is appropriate for you, in light of your objectives, financial situation or needs. Although information has been obtained from and is based upon multiple sources the author believes to be reliable, accuracy is not guaranteed and the information may be incomplete or condensed. All opinions, estimates, mentioned products/services and referenced material constitute the author’s own judgement as of the date of the article and are subject to change without notice. WorldFirst shall not be responsible for any losses or damages arising from reliance on such information.