M-Pesa upgrade to boost digital economy, financial inclusion

DAR ES SALAAM: VODACOM Tanzania has upgraded its M-Pesa platform with a 28m US dollars (about 72bn/-) investment, a move expected to strengthen the country’s digital financial ecosystem and accelerate financial inclusion through improved service reliability, security and innovation.

The transformation, which shifts M-Pesa from its legacy G2 system to a next-generation platform, comes at a time when demand for fast, secure and seamless digital financial services continues to rise across the country, driven by growing adoption among individuals, businesses, and institutions.

Vodacom Tanzania’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr Philip Besiimire, said the investment is aimed at future-proofing one of the country’s most critical financial platforms to support sustained growth and innovation.

“This investment is about future-proofing one of Tanzania’s most important financial platforms. We are strengthening the foundation of M-Pesa to ensure it remains secure, reliable, and ready to support innovation at scale,” he said.

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He said that the upgraded system will deliver faster, stronger, and more resilient services capable of evolving with customers’ changing needs.

The modernised platform significantly reduces service interruptions with system maintenance time cut from hours to minutes, thus ensuring continuity of daily financial transactions.

For agents, merchants, and the new system offers increased transaction capacity, improved reporting tools and greater transparency, enabling businesses to enhance operational efficiency, planning, and customer service.

The development underscores the company’s continued investment in digital infrastructure, positioning M-Pesa as a key driver of financial inclusion and economic participation in the country.