DAT and IDCanopy Partner to Launch Next-Gen KYC/KYB Compliance Platform in West Africa

The cornerstone of this partnership is a comprehensive digital compliance suite tailored to the specific requirements of BCEAO’s Instruction No. 001-03-2025.

In a transformative move for digital finance and regulatory compliance, Digital Afrique Telecom (DAT) has announced a landmark partnership with IDCanopy, a European leader in identity verification and compliance technology. This strategic alliance is set to revolutionize Know Your Customer (KYC) and Know Your Business (KYB) protocols in the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA) by aligning financial institutions with the latest anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorism financing (CFT) regulations mandated by the Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO).

Strengthening Compliance with BCEAO Instruction No. 001-03-2025

The cornerstone of this partnership is a comprehensive digital compliance suite tailored to the specific requirements of BCEAO’s Instruction No. 001-03-2025. The regulation enforces advanced internal controls for financial institutions to combat financial crime and mandates real-time capabilities such as:

• Sanctions and PEP (Politically Exposed Persons) screening

• Transaction monitoring

• Automated audit trail generation

• Continuous UBO (Ultimate Beneficial Owners) and director surveillance

This integrated system allows banks, fintechs, and microfinance institutions to achieve full regulatory alignment while reducing the resource burden of compliance operations.

Advanced Technology for Secure and Scalable Onboarding

The DAT-IDCanopy solution leverages best-in-class technologies to create a seamless and secure user experience:

• AI-driven document verification for quick, accurate identity validation

• Biometric authentication ensuring unique user verification through facial and fingerprint recognition

• eID integration connecting to government-issued digital IDs for trusted onboarding

• Qualified Electronic Signatures (QES) compliant with EU eIDAS and Swiss ZertES standards, ensuring legally binding digital transactions

These features drastically minimize manual verification processes, shorten customer onboarding times, and reduce exposure to fraud—supporting both operational agility and regulatory integrity.

Meeting Local Needs with Global Standards

While designed specifically for UEMOA countries—Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal, and Togo—the platform also supports cross-border interoperability. IDCanopy’s universal KYC protocols empower institutions to manage both regional and international client onboarding within a unified system. This hybrid compliance framework blends:

• Local due diligence mandates

• International regulatory best practices

• Multi-jurisdictional risk monitoring

This ensures financial institutions remain agile and fully compliant in an evolving global compliance landscape.

Addressing BCEAO’s 2025 Compliance Agenda

The platform aligns with key BCEAO initiatives, including:

• Enhanced due diligence for PEPs and UBOs

• Mandatory reporting of suspicious activity within 24 hours

• Annual audits and continuous control assessments

• Digital onboarding with secure identity verification tools

These functionalities directly support the region’s push toward a safer, more transparent financial environment while increasing access to digital services in underserved communities.

Voices Behind the Vision

Simplice Anoh, CEO of DAT, emphasized the importance of trust in a digital-first financial system:

“In a rapidly digitizing economy, trust and compliance are non-negotiable. By integrating IDCanopy’s proven technology, we empower West African financial institutions to onboard customers faster while fully meeting BCEAO’s rigorous standards. This partnership underscores our commitment to driving financial inclusion without compromising security.”

Similarly, Bernhard Reiterer, Founder and CEO of IDCanopy, stated:

“Our collaboration with DAT bridges European compliance excellence with West Africa’s unique regulatory landscape. Together, we’re setting a new benchmark for secure, scalable KYC solutions that combat financial crime and foster economic growth.”

Availability and Deployment Options

The DAT-IDCanopy KYC/KYB suite is available immediately through:

• API integrations

• SDK deployments

• Hosted web pages

Financial institutions can request custom demos and regulatory consultations by contacting DAT directly via their website www.DigitalAfriqueTelecom.com.

A Regional Leap Toward Financial Trust and Inclusion

This partnership is a significant step in modernizing the financial compliance landscape across West Africa. By combining deep regional knowledge with cutting-edge European compliance infrastructure, DAT and IDCanopy are not just meeting regulatory demands—they are setting new standards for financial integrity, digital inclusion, and economic growth in the region.