Ivory Coast-based fintech startup REMA/OS has introduced a new business-to-business (B2B) offline payment protocol designed to enable secure financial transactions without the need for internet access or mobile data.
The startup has developed a software development kit (SDK) that banks can integrate into their existing mobile applications. Once integrated, users can carry out peer-to-peer transactions through Bluetooth technology, allowing payments to be made even in areas with little or no network connectivity.
REMA/OS was founded in December 2025 by Ibrahim Junior Konaté, Ariel Kouakou Placide, Djiablé Luc Olivier Jaurès, and Jean-Luc Adjo. The company focuses on serving rural populations and agricultural cooperatives across West Africa, where poor internet access continues to limit participation in formal financial services.
According to the founders, millions of people remain excluded from digital finance because most payment platforms depend on an active internet connection. Existing services such as Wave and other regional payment systems require users to be online, creating challenges for communities in remote areas.
The problem is particularly significant across the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA) region, where more than 100 million adults remain unbanked. In Ivory Coast alone, over 4,000 agricultural cooperatives operate in areas where reliable connectivity is often unavailable.
“There is currently no offline-first payment protocol deployed at scale in West Africa. That is the gap REMA addresses,” said co-founder Ibrahim Junior Konaté.
The company is currently testing its technology with rural agricultural cooperatives as part of its proof-of-concept phase. These early deployments are intended to demonstrate how offline payments can improve financial inclusion and simplify transactions in underserved communities.
Although its initial focus is Ivory Coast, REMA/OS plans to expand across the wider UEMOA region before pursuing opportunities in other Sub-Saharan African markets.
The startup is operating without external funding and has been bootstrapped by its founders. Its business model will generate revenue through monthly licensing fees charged to banks, transaction fees, and integration services.
Konaté said the company expects the model to scale efficiently because it does not require direct consumer acquisition costs. Instead, adoption will be driven through banking partners that integrate the SDK into their existing platforms.
As digital financial services continue to expand across Africa, REMA/OS is betting that offline payment technology can help bridge one of the continent’s biggest financial inclusion challenges by bringing digital transactions to communities that remain beyond the reach of reliable internet connectivity.
