Vodacom marks 25 years, issues over 2.5tri/- loans

DAR ES SALAAM: TANZANIA is celebrating 25 years of Vodacom Tanzania services, marked by significant milestones, including the disbursement of over 2.5tri/- through its innovative term loan services, positively impacting the lives of many Tanzanians.

The initiative has benefited millions of users, with more than six million customers benefiting from services like Songesha overdraft facility in 2024.

Speaking at the kickoff event for the 25th anniversary celebration on Tuesday, the Vodacom Tanzania’s M-Commerce Director, Mr Epimack Mbeteni reaffirmed the company’s commitment to collaborating with the government to enhance digital economy initiatives, ensuring they reach more Tanzanians and continue transforming lives.

He said nearly 100,000 agents have received around 1tri/- in overdrafts and term loans to finance their businesses and ensure service availability for end customers.

“We will continue to work with the government and other stakeholders to ensure that a larger number of people utilise digital economy systems, addressing existing challenges and providing easy access to loans without collateral,” said Mr Mbeteni.

He added: “We have transformed the lives of Tanzanians in the past 25 years and the next 25 will be even better.”

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He stressed on the importance of pushing the initiative forward in partnership with the government, saying the company is aiming for even greater adoption of digital financial services and a reduction in cash payments.

Discussing financial inclusion over the past 25 years, Mr Mbeteni said the system has increased from 9 per cent to approximately 76 per cent, significantly driven by digital financial services like Mobile Money.

“We have greatly contributed to the inclusion of Tanzanians into formal financial services, with a large percentage using M-Pesa. According to TCRA reports, our market share stands at 40 per cent and we are growing annually, which shows that Tanzanians trust us more with their financial needs,” he said.

The Company’s Managing Director, Mr Phillip Besiimire expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the Tanzanian community and Vodacom’s loyal customers for their support over the past 25 years. He described the period as one of exceptional service.

“We have connected with people, businesses and stakeholders and made a real difference in our communities. We are driving change and you have been a vital part of this journey. Thank you so much,” said Mr Besiimire.

The Director for Consumer Business Unit, Ms Brigita Shirima said the company has launched the “Niko nawe Tena na Tena” campaign as part of 25th anniversary celebrations.

She said the five caravans that have been flagged off will travel to various regions to provide services closer to the public as part of the celebration.

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“Since we began communication services in 2000, with our first SMS sent, we have grown from our first customer to 28 million today. We have journeyed with our clients, sending our first transaction in 2008,” said Ms Shirima.

She added that the campaign expresses gratitude to their customers for their continued support, highlighting their evolution from 2G to the first 5G service in the country, assuring them that Vodacom will continue to stand by them.