Tanzania leads Africa’s contactless payment shift
On Techpoint Digest, we discuss Tanzania leading Africa’s contactless payment shift, why fintechs are expanding beyond one product, and lawmakers probing Showmax shutdown fallout.
<br />
តាមរាបសួរ,<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Victoria from Techpoint here,<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Here’s what I’ve got for you today:<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Tanzania leads Africa’s contactless payment shift<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Why fintechs are expanding beyond one product<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Lawmakers probe Showmax shutdown fallout<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Tanzania leads Africa’s contactless payment shift<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Contactless and cashless payment through qr code and mobile banking<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Paying with mobile money in Africa is about to feel a lot more like tapping your debit card at a POS terminal. In Tanzania, that shift is already happening, and it could signal where payments across the continent are headed next.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Vodacom Tanzania has introduced Africa’s first mobile money tap-to-pay feature on M-Pesa, allowing users to make contactless payments directly from their phones. The feature works through a virtual Visa card embedded in the M-Pesa app, meaning users can simply tap their phones on payment terminals anywhere Visa is accepted – no physical card needed.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
What this means is that mobile money is evolving beyond transfers and bill payments into something closer to a full banking alternative. Instead of entering PINs or USSD codes, users can now pay instantly at checkout, while businesses get faster and more secure transactions. It also plugs M-Pesa into global payment rails, connecting Tanzanian users to international merchants and markets.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
It matters because Tanzania is already one of Africa’s strongest mobile money markets, with millions relying on M-Pesa daily. Adding contactless payments makes the system more competitive with traditional banking and card networks, while also improving financial inclusion for people who may never own a bank card but already have a mobile wallet.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Beyond convenience, the move fits into a bigger trend. With partnerships spanning Visa, Alipay, and regional players, M-Pesa is positioning itself as a global payments platform, not just a local wallet. As more Africans trade across borders and shop internationally, features like tap-to-pay could redefine how mobile ...
