Vodacom Tanzania has introduced M-Pesa Global Payment, a new suite of international payment features on M-Pesa, allowing its more than 22 million users to pay merchants in China, Dubai, Uganda, and anywhere Visa is accepted, directly from their mobile phones.
The launch is powered through partnerships with global payments network Visa, Chinese digital payment platform Alipay, Middle-Eastern payments providers Network International and Magnati, and mobile money operator MTN Uganda, as seen on Techcabal.
“Our partnerships demonstrate our commitment to building a strong and interconnected digital payments ecosystem,” said Epimack Mbeteni, M-Pesa Director at Vodacom Tanzania.
“Together, we are enabling people and businesses to transact across borders with the same ease as they transact locally, securely, instantly, and affordably.”
As part of the initiative, Vodacom Tanzania introduces a first-of-its-kind feature in Africa: M-Pesa Tap & Pay, powered by Visa’s tokenization technology.
The feature allows users to make contactless payments globally using their phones, just as cardholders tap physical cards at point-of-sale terminals. Users can generate a secure virtual Visa card within the M-Pesa app, enabling them to tap at any Visa-enabled terminal worldwide.
Don’t Miss This:
Tanzania’s Internet Shutdown Costs Economy $238 Million, Sparks Outrage Across Africa
“This innovation supports Tanzania’s transition toward a fully digital payments ecosystem and empowers consumers and businesses with more modern ways to pay,” said Victor Makere, Visa Country Manager for Tanzania.
The M-Pesa Global Payment initiative opens several key trade corridors. Tanzanian users can pay Chinese merchants through Alipay, crucial for importers sourcing goods from major Chinese markets.
In September 2025, Tanzania imported goods worth $862 million from China. These payments are facilitated by Thunes, a cross-border payments infrastructure provider.
In East Africa, Vodacom has partnered with MTN Uganda, allowing users to pay merchants directly into MTN MoMo wallets, simplifying settlement for traders operating between the two countries.
Customers can also transact with select merchants in Dubai through TerraPay’s global merchant network.
These solutions address longstanding gaps in cross-border trade and payments, which have traditionally been slow, costly, and fragmented for East African SMEs, many of whom relied on cash-based workarounds or high-fee intermediaries.
Vodacom aims to leverage M-Pesa’s deep integration in Tanzania’s domestic financial system to provide a regulated, familiar, and seamless solution for international payments.
“Through this combined effort, we are opening new trade corridors, reducing the cost of doing business, and giving customers greater freedom to participate in the global digital economy,” Mbeteni said.
Don’t Miss This:
Tanzania To Begin Long-Delayed Bagamoyo Port Construction In December, Official Says
Image Credit: Nation Media Group
