Home Finance & Banking Mastercard, Selcom launch app to drive digital transactions in Tanzania

Mastercard, Selcom launch app to drive digital transactions in Tanzania

by Ben Oduor
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Mastercard and Selcom has announced the launch of the Selcom Mastercard app, an enhanced mobile payment application that enables people to centralize all their payment cards or supported mobile banking profiles on one digital platform, for ease of payment via Mastercard QR.

The app allows users can pay at any Mastercard QR enabled merchant in Tanzania, settle their bill payments from within the app, while discovering exciting offers near them in an easy, safe and convenient way. The app addresses the lack of a one-stop solution for all consumer payments in Tanzania.

The app is enhanced with Qwikrewards and Discovery features which enables businesses to easily offer cashback to consumers who pay through Mastercard QR. Consumers will be able to benefit from  offers across different locations such as Puma, Alcove, Ahlan Restaurant, Cafe Aroma, The Backyard, and Hotpoint Appliances. We aim to start off with 1000 merchants and expand across all industries reaching all 50,000+ merchants who accept Mastercard QR in the country.

Qwikrewards provides consumers a single collection point for all cashback received when paying for goods and services. The rewards can then be redeemed, at the consumers’ convenience, at any Mastercard QR acceptance location in the country or to make government payments, purchase local or international airtime, and even pay for  internet and TV subscription, making the app a one-stop shop, relevant for all day-to-day spending. For small businesses who offer these rewards in a bid to grow their customer base, this solution enables them to customize their offerings, digitally track their offers and receive electronic payments, all without having to invest in costly hardware.

The Discovery feature on the Selcom Mastercard app adds excitement to the shopping experience. Consumers can now easily identify new offers near them. SMEs and corporates  can showcase all their offers on the app, and easily customise them based on their own marketing plans and efforts.  Customers in turn can select from a gallery of promotions, and have the rewards accumulated  in one place.

Adam Jones, Country Manager for East Africa, Mastercard said, “Mastercard has been spearheading the transition to digital payments for several years in Tanzania. By partnering with Selcom to incentivize consumers to pay for goods and services using the newly launched Selcom Mastercard app, not only are we promoting digital and financial inclusion, but we are also connecting merchants to a wider customer base to increase the volume of their sales transactions. Mastercard’s QR payments technology is a powerful tool that offers consumers an enhanced payments experience, and over the coming months, we look forward to further collaboration with our partners to continue delivering relevant solutions that encourage people to transact more seamlessly and efficiently.”

In his remarks, Selcom’s Executive Director Sameer Hirji said, “We have deliberately positioned Qwikrewards as an enhancer and motivator for consumers to adopt digital payments and to promote the cashless economy in Tanzania. The most relevant gap that the Selcom Mastercard application addresses is the ability to link a Mastercard debit or credit card, or any other scheme card to the application to pay at Mastercard QR merchants for free, even if your bank does not directly support the service through its own app. Selcom is known for disruption, and this is one many services we will be launching in the coming months to make the lives of consumers and merchants better and easier. With the added cashback angle, consumers should be even more willing to use Mastercard QR.”

Over the past year, Mastercard has launched several digital payment partnerships in Tanzania designed to equip people with the right tools to join the digital economy and pave their own path towards financial security. These partnerships have resulted in a Mastercard QR consumer base of tens of millions and more than 50,000 new merchants accepting QR payments in the country.

The Selcom Mastercard app is available to download in the Google Play and Apple Store.

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