Vodacom Tanzania invests $28 Million to upgrade M-Pesa platform for faster and safer digital payments

Vodacom Tanzania is making a big move in the country’s digital economy by investing $28 million to modernise its M-Pesa platform. With mobile money now a central part of life for Tanzanians, the upgrade will replace the old G2 system with a new, faster, and more reliable architecture. Tanzania’s mobile money usage has grown rapidly, with active accounts reaching 76.5 million in 2025 and transaction volume surpassing 6.3 billion per year. Almost three-quarters of all SIM cards are linked to mobile wallets, showing how deeply embedded mobile finance is in daily life. The upgrade will reduce downtime, improve security, and allow for faster rollout of new financial products, from savings and credit to enterprise solutions. Vodacom, which has 41.2 percent of the mobile money market, has carefully prepared for the migration with extensive testing to ensure no loss of customer data or transaction history. CEO Philip Besiimire says this investment is about futureproofing one of Tanzania’s most important financial platforms. The project strengthens national digital infrastructure, supporting not only urban users but also rural traders who rely on M-Pesa for daily transactions. With smartphone penetration at 41 percent and 5G coverage at 30 percent, the country’s digital economy is growing fast, making this investment timely and crucial.