The Problem With How Tanzanian Businesses Collect Payments Today

If your business collects recurring payments — loan repayments, subscription fees, service contracts; you are almost certainly relying on Standing Orders. And Standing Orders are quietly costing you money every single month.

Here is how they fail you. A Standing Order is a push instruction: the customer tells their bank to send you a fixed amount on a fixed date. If the funds are not there on that day, nothing happens. No partial collection. No retry. No alert to you. The payment simply fails — and you find out only when the money does not arrive. By then, arrears have already accumulated.

Worse, a customer can cancel a Standing Order without telling you. You will not know until the next expected payment does not show up.

This is not a cash flow problem. It is a structural problem — and it affects every business in Tanzania that depends on predictable recurring income.

ClickPesa Has Launched Direct Debit in Tanzania

ClickPesa is proud to announce the official launch of Direct Debit in Tanzania, operating via CRDB Bank.

Any business that has CRDB account holders as customers can enrol them on Direct Debit today. Additional banking partners are being onboarded.

Direct Debit is the opposite of a Standing Order. Instead of the customer pushing funds to you, your business pulls the funds directly from the customer’s account on the agreed date — based on a mandate the customer authorises once, digitally, through their Internet Banking, Sim-banking, or mobile banking app. No paper. No branch visits.

Once that mandate is in place, payments happen automatically. Every cycle. Without anyone lifting a finger.

What makes ClickPesa Direct Debit different from a Standing Order:

Who Is This For

Direct Debit works for any business that sends recurring invoices or expects payments on a regular schedule. The sectors where we see the most immediate impact:

Microfinance institutions — Replace failed Standing Orders and field-based cash collection with automated loan repayment. Collect partial payments when full instalments are not available. Reduce PAR, cut field officer costs, and produce cleaner regulatory reporting. In Sub-Saharan Africa, portfolio at risk over 30 days has historically exceeded 13%. Automated collection directly attacks that number.

Internet Service Providers — Subscriber churn is often not intentional. It happens because a Standing Order failed and no one caught it in time. Direct Debit keeps subscriptions active, revenue predictable, and customers connected without requiring them to do anything each month.

Data centers and managed services providers — Enterprise contracts are large and long-term. A missed payment should never result in a service suspension decision made under pressure. Direct Debit surfaces billing issues early, with retry and partial payment capabilities giving your finance team time to act before the relationship is at risk.

Insurance companies and SACCOs — if your business operates in a regulated sector, collects premiums or member contributions on a schedule, and spends time chasing them, Direct Debit is built for you.

How It Works

1. Customer authorises a mandate — digitally, through Internet Banking, Sim-banking, or mobile banking. Once. Takes minutes.

2. Mandate is held by your institution — the customer cannot cancel it without your involvement. The payment commitment is structural, not dependent on the customer’s memory or goodwill.

3. Automatic collection on each due date — ClickPesa initiates the collection. Full amount if available. Partial amount if that is what is present. Automatic retry if the first attempt is unsuccessful.

4. Real-time reporting — every transaction, partial payment, failed attempt, and retry is logged instantly. Your team sees everything. Reconciliation is automated.

The Business Case in One Sentence

Standing Orders put your customers in control of your revenue. Direct Debit puts you in control — while making the payment experience completely invisible to your customers.

Tanzania’s digital payments infrastructure is ready. TIPS processed 454 million transactions worth TZS 29.9 trillion in 2024. Mobile payment volumes grew 26.73% year-on-year. The infrastructure exists. What has been missing is an automated pull-payment layer sitting on top of it — built specifically for businesses with recurring revenue needs.

That layer is now here.

Common Questions

Is this the same as a Standing Order? No. A Standing Order is controlled by your customer — they push funds to you. Direct Debit is controlled by you — you pull funds from their account. If they do not have the full amount, you collect what is there. If the first attempt fails, the system retries. The customer cannot cancel silently.

Which customers can be enrolled right now? Any customer with a CRDB Bank account. Additional banking partners are being onboarded — you can check current coverage when you create your account.

How does the customer authorise it? Entirely digitally. Through their Internet Banking portal, Sim-banking, or mobile banking app. No paper forms. No branch visits. The authorisation takes a few minutes and only needs to happen once.

What if a customer does not have enough funds on collection day? ClickPesa Direct Debit collects whatever is available as a partial payment rather than failing completely. Your team sees the partial collection in real time and can follow up if needed.

How long does it take to go live? You can create your account and begin onboarding today. Setup time depends on your integration requirements — everything is self-service to get started.

Get Started Today

ClickPesa Direct Debit is live. Onboarding is self-service — no sales call required.

If your business collects recurring payments and you want to stop chasing them, create your account now and be live in days.

Sign up free → merchant.clickpesa.com/account-registration

Learn more: www.clickpesa.com

ClickPesa Launches Direct Debit in Tanzania. Finally, Businesses Can Stop Chasing Payments was originally published in ClickPesa on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

In today’s rapidly evolving microfinance institution (MFI) landscape, data integrity and operational efficiency are key for MFIs aiming to scale their services. Managing loan disbursements, payments, and accounting can become chaotic when data exchange between systems like Loan Management (LMS), Accounting, and Payment and Payout system is handled manually. This often leads to inaccuracies, inefficiencies, and potential financial losses. With ClickPesa MFI, automation plays a critical role in ensuring smooth and accurate data exchange across these systems, optimizing microfinance operations for scalability.

Data exchange challenges running a Microfinance

Imagine a scenario where a loan is created in your loan management system, but the actual payout is forgotten, or where a loan repayment is recorded in the LMS but missed in the accounting system. Such disconnects lead to incomplete data, creating a ripple effect of financial inaccuracies that can disrupt your business operations. Manually updating multiple systems increases the likelihood of errors, even with a dedicated bookkeeper, while also consuming valuable resources.

With ClickPesa MFI, automation plays a critical role in ensuring smooth and accurate data exchange across these systems, optimizing microfinance operations for scalability.

Accurate data is crucial for making informed decisions running a microfinance, where every transaction, repayment, and expense needs precise tracking. Automation can eliminate these gaps by ensuring seamless data exchange between Loan Management, Accounting, and Payment and Payout systems, providing a clear overview of operations.

Key data types and systems

In a MFI, three primary data types are handled:

1. Loan and Customer Data: This includes loan terms, disbursement dates, client profiles, and payment schedules.
2. Accounting Data: Reflecting financial transactions such as income, expenses, and outstanding liabilities.
3. Transactional Data: Payment and payout records, including deposits and disbursements.

Three critical systems capture and store these data types:

• Loan Management System (LMS): Tracks loans and customer data, managing client profiles, disbursements, repayments and risk management.
• Accounting System: Handles the financial data, keeping records of expenses, revenue, and overall financial health.
• Payment and Payout System: Processes transactional data, facilitating both the inflow (repayments) and outflow (disbursements, salaries, etc.) of money.

While these systems serve distinct functions, they must exchange data to ensure consistency and accuracy. For instance, the LMS relies on payment data from the payout system to update client loan accounts, while the accounting system requires the same transactional data for balancing the books. Without the correct seamless data flow between these systems, operational efficiency suffers, leading to errors and inefficiencies.

Navigating data exchange between systems through automation

Non-Operational Data Flow

Non-operational data refers to expenses such as salaries, marketing costs, and office maintenance. The process begins when an expense is logged in the accounting system, which then triggers a payout via the payment system. This payout data must be sent back to the accounting system to confirm the transaction. Here is how the data exchange looks:

• Input: Expense (e.g., staff salary)
• Data Type: Accounting data
• System: Accounting System
• Action: Bill recorded, awaiting payment
• Output: Payout completed
• Data Type: Transactional data
• System: Payment and Payout System → Accounting System

Operational Data Flow

Operational data focuses on core activities of a MFI like loan issuance and repayment. Automation ensures that when a loan is disbursed, the LMS, payment system, and accounting system are automatically updated to reflect the transaction in the correct order. For example,

When issuing a loan:

• Input: Loan approval (e.g., customer loan of 250,000 Tsh)
• Data Type: Loan and customer data
• System: Loan Management System
• Action: Loan created, pending disbursement
• Output: Loan payout completed
• Data Type: Transactional data
• System: Payment and Payout System → LMS → Accounting System

For loan repayment:

• Input: Customer payment (principal, interest, or fees)
• Data Type: Loan and customer data
• System: Payment and Payout System
• Action: Payment received
• Output: Loan repayment updated
• Data Type: Accounting data
• System: Payment and Payout System → LMS → Accounting System

This interconnected system ensures that each loan issuance and repayment is reflected across all necessary systems, reducing the risk of mismatches or lost data. With ClickPesa MFI, MFIs can automate data flows, improving accuracy and operational efficiency. ClickPesa MFI supports full system integration, connecting Loan Management, Accounting with ClickPesa’s Payment and Payout solution. This integration automates the data flow between these systems, ensuring that every transaction is recorded accurately across platforms.

Optimizing Microfinance Operations with ClickPesa MFI

Automating the data exchange between Loan Management, Accounting, and Payment systems optimizes microfinance operations by:

• Reducing Errors: Automation minimizes the chances of human error in recording transactions and updating multiple systems.
• Saving Time: With automated data flows, MFIs save time previously spent on manual data entry, allowing staff to focus on more strategic tasks.
• Enhancing Accuracy: Automated updates ensure that every transaction is recorded correctly, improving data accuracy across the board.
• Improving Decision-Making: With accurate, real-time data, MFIs can make better-informed decisions about lending, investments, and operational expenses.

Conclusion

The challenges of data exchange in microfinance can create inefficiencies and financial losses if not managed properly. By automating the data flow between Loan Management, Accounting, and Payment and Payout systems, ClickPesa MFI streamlines operations, enhances accuracy, and empowers MFIs to scale efficiently. Whether you are managing loan disbursements, payments, or expenses, automation is the key to keeping your operations smooth, accurate, and ready for growth.

ClickPesa MFI: Using Automation to solve data exchange challenges was originally published in ClickPesa on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Payout Disbursement: Single and Bulk Options

One of the primary financial operations MFIs perform is the disbursement of funds, mostly loan disbursements, but also payroll and other types of payouts. However, doing this manually introduces several issues, from human errors in recording payout details, assigning payouts to the right customer, and potential fraud, to delays in fund disbursements.

ClickPesa’s Payout Disbursement Solution

• Single Payouts: This feature allows MFIs to instantly disburse funds to a single recipient, whether they are paying out a loan or sending a one-time payment. The process is straightforward, enabling the MFI to quickly and accurately send money directly to a mobile wallet or bank account​.
• Bulk Payouts: For MFIs handling a large number of recipients, the bulk payout option automates the process, reducing the manual work involved in sending out multiple payments at the same time. A batch file can be uploaded to the system, which processes payouts to 250 recipients simultaneously​.

Payment Collection: Online and Offline Solutions

MFIs face significant challenges in managing payment collection across a large client base. MFIs deal with numerous small loan repayments for one loan, spread out over time, and the need to accurately track these payments and assign them to the correct customer and/or loan is critical. This complexity is compounded by the various payment channels through which payments can be received, making timely, accurate reconciliation of payments even more challenging.

These pain points are addressed by offering a solutions for handling payments, ClickPesa supports various payment channels categorized under online and offline payment methods, ensuring that MFIs can serve a customer base with different payment preferences while maintaining a single overview and financial accuracy at the same time.

• Online Payments: With the increasing use of smartphones, ClickPesa supports web-based payments, allowing customers to repay loans conveniently using mobile money, bank transfers, or card payments. This solution is fast and secure, catering to technology-savvy customers who prefer digital solutions​.
• Offline Payments: In regions with limited internet access or for customers without a smartphone, ClickPesa’s offline payment solution ensures that customers can still make their payments using USSD codes or agent deposits. The system tracks payments by generating a unique payment reference, which can be shared with the customer. Once they make the payment with the reference, the system automatically matches it to the correct customer​​.

Transaction Export

As MFIs grow, keeping track of increasing volumes of payouts and payments becomes a challenge. To address this, ClickPesa offers an easy-to-use transaction export feature that allows MFIs to download detailed reports on all their transactions. A MFI managing 1,000 active loans can use ClickPesa’s export feature to pull detailed transaction reports of all payments and payouts over a certain period.

MFIs can export data in formats like CSV or Excel. These reports can be imported into existing systems like Loan Management Systems (LMS) and accounting platforms, ensuring that all transactions are accurately recorded​​. This significantly reduces manual work, improves accuracy, and ensures that MFIs have a complete overview of their financial activities.

MFIs can export data in formats like CSV or Excel. These reports can be imported into existing systems like Loan Management Systems (LMS) and accounting platforms

Conclusion

ClickPesa MFI’s digital payment solutions are designed to address the core challenges faced by MFIs: disbursing funds efficiently, collecting loan payments accurately, and maintaining clear, actionable transaction records. By focusing on these three key areas — payouts, payment collection, and transaction export — ClickPesa ensures that MFIs can scale their operations without losing track of their financial activities. These solutions not only reduce administrative burdens but also enhance the ability of MFIs to serve their customers, driving financial inclusion and supporting small businesses across regions where reliable financial infrastructure is needed most.

ClickPesa MFI: Empowering Microfinances with Payouts, Payment Gateway, and Transaction Exports was originally published in ClickPesa on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

We are excited to share another round of updates on the ClickPesa Payment Gateway. Find below our latest updates, don’t forget to check them out.

New Feature: Merchant Dashboard Self Onboarding

The merchant dashboard now supports self onboarding, where business can setup their account and start receiving payments in less than 5 minutes. Learn more.

New Feature: Third-Part Systems Integration

We are now supporting integration for businesses that wishes to integrate ClickPesa payment gateway into their systems. This major enhancement offers seamless integration options for businesses in expanding their platform capabilities. Learn more.

New Feature: Team Member Developer Role

We have added a Developer Role in Teams, allowing businesses to add technical team members to support them with the integration process. Learn more

New Feature: USD Deposit

Previously, we only supported TZS deposits. Now, businesses can deposit USD funds via bank to top up their USD balance and improve their bulk-payouts flexibility. Learn more.

New Feature: Payout Details

Payout details now include initiator, authorizer, and order reference (if available). Initiator and authorizer provide a clearer picture of who performed specific actions on payouts, especially for teams. Additionally, the order reference can be used to align payouts with your platform’s items — useful for integration purposes. Learn more.

Update: Merchant Dashboard New Settings Page

We have redefined structure of the settings page on merchant dashboard to allow easy navigation and provide more control to businesses. The new structure is as follows:

1. General
   Includes businness information and contact person settings. Learn more
2. Collection
   a. Online Collection
   Includes methods and tools. Tools now have settings for each option (Invoice, Checkout Link, Payment Page) such as allowing updating customer info, amount, or allowing exchange in their checkout pages. Learn More
   b. Offline Collection
   Includes methods and tools, providing detailed options for each. Learn more
3. Disbursement
   a. Withdraw Settings
   Includes settlement account settings. Learn More
   b. Payout Settings
   Includes fee bearer settings and payout roles settings. Learn more
4. Team
   Manage team members and their roles within the system. Learn more
5. Developers
   Everything you need to facilitate integrating your apps and system with the ClickPesa payment gateway. Learn more
6. Security
   Options for changing OTP phone numbers and passwords. Learn more

At ClickPesa, our mission is to empower businesses with intuitive solutions that address their unique needs and drive success. By leveraging our latest features, you can streamline operations, enhance collaboration, and make informed decisions that propel your business forward.

Ready to revolutionize your business operations? Explore ClickPesa’s transformative solutions today and experience the difference firsthand. Your journey to efficiency and growth starts here!

ClickPesa Product Update: June–September 2024 was originally published in ClickPesa on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

In this article, we will explore how ClickPesa MFI’s Borrowing feature works, detailing each phase of the process and illustrating how it helps MFIs to access the capital for sustainable growth. The Borrowing feature simplifies the funding process, enabling MFIs to scale their operations and enhance their impact on local communities.

Eligibility

Our borrowing feature is designed for MFIs that are established and registered in Tanzania, with a loan portfolio of at least $150,000 financed by equity, and focused on serving SMEs and women-owned businesses. It is important that MFIs have a proven track record of building their business over several years. A loan portfolio of at least $150,000 financed by equity is a strong indicator of this.

Additionally, ClickPesa MFI only provides funding to MFIs with professional management, strong governance structures and loan management and accounting software in place.

Phases

What we have experience is that providing a lot of capital at once to a MFI doesn’t work, as it often leads to funds sitting idle for a while that cost money. The solution for this is that we provide funding in phases, growing alongside the MFI. This approach ensures funding matches the MFI’s capacity, supporting steady and sustainable growth.

Phase 0: Onboarding and Account Activation

The journey begins with Phase 0, where MFIs register and activate their accounts on the ClickPesa MFI platform. This phase involves a straightforward KYC (Know Your Customer) process that verifies essential business credentials, including the Bank of Tanzania (BoT) license, business license, tax clearance. The onboarding is designed to be quick, typically completed within two working days, ensuring that MFIs can start exploring ClickPesa MFI’s services without delay. Importantly, there is no cost associated with this phase, making it an accessible starting point for all eligible MFIs.

Phase 1: Initial Loan of $10,000 — Assessment and Disbursement

Upon successful onboarding, MFIs move to Phase 1, where they can apply for an initial loan of $10,000. This phase involves a desk review of the MFI’s financial and operational health, ensuring the institution meets the fundamental eligibility criteria for debt funding. Key requirements include the latest audited financial statements, board overviews, confirmation of tax compliance and usages of the other ClickPesa MFI services.

A one-time registration fee of 500,000 TZS is charged upon successful approval, and the review process is typically completed within two working days. This phase allows MFIs to access the much-needed capital quickly, with the loan terms structured to ensure manageable repayments. The structured repayment plan helps MFIs manage their cash flow effectively, supporting sustainable growth.

Collateral Requirement: At this phase, the MFI’s loan portfolio serves as collateral, securing the loan and aligning incentives for careful portfolio management.

Phase 2: Scaling Up with a $50,000 Loan

For MFIs ready to scale further, Phase 2 offers a deeper engagement with ClickPesa’s borrowing feature, allowing access to a $50,000 loan. This phase includes a comprehensive review of the MFI’s financial statements, portfolio quality, and operational components, combining both desk-based analysis and a one-day on-site evaluation.

The assessment fee for this phase is 1,500,000 TZS, excluding travel costs, and the review period extends to five working days. This phase is critical in building confidence between the MFI and ClickPesa, ensuring that the institution is well-prepared to manage larger amounts of funding responsibly. The loan terms include quarterly repayments ensuring that MFIs have the flexibility needed to grow their loan books and reach more clients.

Collateral Requirement: Similar to Phase 1, the MFI’s loan portfolio serves as collateral, reinforcing the importance of maintaining a strong and healthy portfolio.

Phase 3: Expanding capacity with $150,000 to $450,000

Before approving additional funding, the ClickPesa MFI credit team conducts a thorough assessment to determine the MFI’s readiness for scaling. This includes a desk review and up to five days of on-site evaluation, where we analyze operational practices, risk management, financial health, and system capabilities. Our findings are compiled into a comprehensive report with tailored advice and recommendations, which guide the decision on further debt funding.

The assessment covers key areas such as operational efficiency, portfolio quality, management capabilities, and system robustness. We evaluate lending practices, risk controls, staff qualifications, and branch operations while providing guidance on enhancing loan management systems and workflow automation. This holistic approach ensures that MFIs are well-prepared to handle increased capital responsibly. An advisory fee of 1.5% of the total loan portfolio (minimum 5,000,000 TZS) applies, along with a maximum of 500,000 TZS for on-site costs. The assessment will be provided in form of a report which supports MFIs in scaling their operations with strategic insights and tailored recommendations, aligning growth with sustainable and effective management practices.

ClickPesa MFI is all about scaling microfinances to expand their capacity to support the SMEs and women-owned businesses that are the backbone of the economy.

The exact amount of funding provided depends on the MFI’s portfolio size, which is crucial to our lending approach. ClickPesa MFI does not lend more than 50% of the MFI’s equity, ensuring risk mitigation and a balanced and sustainable growth strategy. Additionally, capital is increased incrementally based on the MFI’s performance, portfolio quality, and adherence to recommended improvements. This flexible approach allows MFIs to grow at a pace that aligns with their progress, enhancing their lending capacity and enabling them to better support SMEs and women-owned businesses.

Collateral Requirement: Throughout Phase 3, the MFI’s loan portfolio continues to serve as collateral, securing the increased funding and reinforcing the importance of maintaining a high-quality portfolio as the institution scales.

Managing Risk and Compliance

Throughout the borrowing process, ClickPesa MFI places a strong emphasis on risk management and compliance. MFIs are required to maintain full legal compliance, uphold robust financial controls, and adhere to strict risk management practices. In the event of potential loan defaults, ClickPesa MFI offers a range of mitigation strategies, including repayment plans and other restructuring options. This approach ensures that MFIs can manage their obligations effectively, safeguarding both the institution’s and our interests.

A Pathway to Sustainable Growth

ClickPesa MFI’s Borrowing feature is not only a source of capital, it is a structured pathway that empowers MFIs to grow responsibly and sustainably. By offering phased access to funding, comprehensive assessments, and advisory support, ClickPesa MFI helps MFIs overcome the traditional barriers to growth. Borrowing combined with other key features like automation, digital payments, and Compliance-as-a-Service (CaaS) enables MFIs to scale effectively. Which they, in turn, expand their capacity to support the SMEs and women-owned businesses that are the backbone of Tanzania’s economy.

For MFIs looking to unlock their growth potential, ClickPesa MFI offers a clear, manageable, and impactful solution. We invite all interested MFIs to explore our ClickPesa MFI platform and join us in redefining what it means to be a successful microfinance institution in today’s rapidly changing financial landscape. Reach out to service@clickpesa.com for more information.

ClickPesa MFI: How ClickPesa MFI’s borrowing feature scales Microfinance Institutions was originally published in ClickPesa on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Consider the case of a MFI that has recently received substantial capital funding. Excited by the prospect of growth, the MFI begins expanding its lending activities, hoping to reach more customers and increase its impact. But without proper systems and risk management tools in place, the institution soon finds itself struggling. Loan defaults rise because borrowers are not adequately assessed, and funds are lost due to internal theft and poor financial controls. More staff is added to solve the problems, but only making more complex and continuing the circle. The MFI eventually loses money, the loan book and margins shrink, turning what was supposed to be a period of growth into a (financial) nightmare.

The lack of access to essential operational tools and resources prevents MFIs from achieving sustainable growth, which as end result also impact the countless SMEs that depend on them for financial support.

This is not an uncommon scenario. As ClickPesa, we have engaged with over 700 microfinance institutions across Tanzania, visiting communities in every corner of the country over the last year and a half. Unfortunately, this story of unfulfilled potential and scaling problems is very common. The lack of access to essential operational tools and resources prevents MFIs from achieving sustainable growth, which as end result impacts the countless SMEs that depend on them for financial support.

Our journey into this space was motivated by our desire to help SMEs and women-owned businesses grow. This led us to start researching the space, getting to microfinances and further in-depth figuring out what makes a microfinance successful in scaling and having an impact. By speaking with larger, more established MFIs that had successfully scaled their operations, we identified three critical factors:

1. Immediate Cash Flow: Successful MFIs maintain immediate cash flow to meet customer demands, ensuring they can lend when their customers need it most.
2. Powerful Compliance Tools: To operate effectively, MFIs must have robust tools to ensure compliance with regulations like Know Your Customer (KYC) protocols and credit reference reporting to manage risk.
3. Seamless System Automation: The ability to manage payments, transaction data, and reconciliation through automated systems is essential to minimize errors, reduce workload, and improves keeping an overview.

These findings led us to invest thousands of hours with our team and partners in the microfinance sector, exploring how we could build a product to address these critical challenges all at once. Our research and development efforts has resulted into a product called ClickPesa MFI. While not officially launched, it becomes time to do an introduction.

ClickPesa MFI

ClickPesa MFI is a platform designed by and for microfinances with the tools and resources they need to scale, succeed and impact SMEs and women-owned businesses. ClickPesa MFI provides four core solutions that address the primary pain points faced by MFIs: Borrowing, Compliance-as-a-Service, and Digital Payments and Data Automation.

1. Borrowing

One of the most significant challenges for MFIs is securing the capital necessary to meet the growing demands of their customers. ClickPesa MFI offers a borrowing facility that allows MFIs to rapidly expand their lending capacity. This access to funding directly fuels the growth of MFIs, enabling them to serve more clients. Our platform not only connects MFIs with potential funding sources but also streamlines the application process, as there are no delays because not having capital anymore. With ClickPesa MFI, microfinances can continue their operations without the constant worry of cash shortages, ensuring their customers are always served. Find here more information.

2. Compliance-as-a-Service (CaaS)

Regulatory compliance is another major hurdle for MFIs. The regulatory landscape is complex and always evolving, and staying compliant with KYC requirements and credit reference reporting is vital to the success of any financial institution. ClickPesa MFI’s Compliance-as-a-Service solution ensures that MFIs are not just compliant but ahead of the curve. Our KYC solutions provide a seamless process for verifying customer identities, significantly reducing the risk of fraud and ensuring that all regulatory standards are met. By using ClickPesa MFI, compliance is no longer a time consuming and impossible task anymore but becomes an integrated part of the daily workflow, allowing MFIs to focus on their primary goal: supporting their clients.

3. Digital Payments

Efficient payment collection and disbursement are essential to the smooth operation of any MFI. ClickPesa MFI’s Digital Payments service is specifically tailored to the needs of microfinances. The platform provides automated payment collection through offline payment such as references and control numbers as well as online payments through a web-based checkout. This significantly reducing manual processes and the potential for human error, fraud and theft. It also facilitates easy disbursement of funds to borrowers, ensuring that the right amounts reach the right recipients on time. By automating these processes, ClickPesa MFI helps MFIs save time, reduce costs, reduce fraud and enhance the overall experience for their clients. Find here more information

4. Data Automation: Integrating with Existing Systems for Seamless Operations

For any MFI, the success of a new platform depends on its ability to integrate with their existing systems. As MFIs already have a Management System (LMS) in place, this is a system that handles the loan process and often includes an accounting module as well. Recognizing this, ClickPesa MFI has been designed to work seamlessly with Loan Management Systems (LMS) in Tanzania, we already work with leading LMS providers such as FIMA and tHL Accounting. This integration ensures that MFIs can adopt ClickPesa MFI without disrupting their current operations. Data automation features allow MFIs to connect with their existing LMS platforms, making the transition smooth and painless. By automating data flows between systems, ClickPesa MFI not only enhances operational efficiency but also improves data accuracy, helping MFIs make quicker and better financial decisions. Find here more information

ClickPesa MFI is a platform designed for and by microfinances and provides them with the tools and resources needed to scale, succeed and impact hunderd thousands of SMEs of women-owned businesses.

A combined solutions for maximum impact

The development of ClickPesa MFI was not a quick process. We spent thousands of hours conducting pilots, testing various features, and gathering feedback from MFIs across Tanzania. Our dedication to understanding the unique needs of the microfinance sector has resulted in a platform that combines these key solutions into one single product.

Although the ClickPesa MFI platform has not officially launched yet, we are already working with tens of microfinances that are piloting our solution. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with MFIs reporting improved operational efficiency, reduced risk, and a more sustainable growth trajectory.

A success story in the making

The success of ClickPesa MFI lies in its ability to transform how microfinances operate. By addressing the critical challenges of access to capital, compliance, and automation, ClickPesa MFI empowers MFIs to scale responsibly and sustainably. This not only benefits the MFIs themselves but also impacts the hundred thousands of SMEs and women-owned businesses that rely on their services for growth and development. Our platform is more than just a financial software solution; it can be seen as a strategic partner for each MFI in the journey toward financial inclusion and economic empowerment.

As we move forward, we are excited to soon officially launch ClickPesa MFI and futher support the growth of microfinances across Tanzania. We invite all MFIs, large and small, to explore the opportunities ClickPesa MFI offers and to join us in our mission to redefine what it means to be a successful microfinance institution in today’s rapidly changing financial landscape. Reach out to service@clickpesa.com for more information.

ClickPesa MFI: Scaling MFIs to support SMEs and women-owned businesses was originally published in ClickPesa on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

We are excited to share another round of updates on the ClickPesa Dashboard. Find below our latest updates, don’t forget to check them out.

Major Updates

Receiving payments via M-Pesa USSD-Push and Bill-Pay

We are thrilled to announce that you can now receive payments via M-Pesa mobile, through USSD-Push (Online payments) and Bill-Pay (Offline payments). This major enhancement expands your payment options and provides a seamless and reliable way to receive payments from your customers. Learn more

Enhanced Security Measures on Payouts, Withdrawals, and Bulk Payouts

We have enhanced security measures by removing passwords and introducing One-Time Password (OTP) verification for creating payouts, withdrawals, and confirming bulk payouts. This added layer of security aims to protect your account and sensitive transactions, providing you with greater control and peace of mind. Learn more

Airtel Money Payouts name check

When making payouts to Airtel Money customers, you’ll now have the ability to verify the beneficiary name, ensuring accurate transactions and minimizing human errors. Learn more.

Ability to download invoice on invoice checkout

Your customers now have the ability to download their invoices directly on the ClickPesa checkout, making it easier to manage and maintain their financial records. Learn more.

Minor Updates

Auto-cancel deposit requests after three days

Deposit requests that take longer than three days will now be automatically canceled, streamlining the process and ensuring timely transactions. Learn more.

At ClickPesa, our mission is to empower businesses with intuitive solutions that address their unique needs and drive success. By leveraging our latest features, you can streamline operations, enhance collaboration, and make informed decisions that propel your business forward.

Ready to revolutionize your business operations? Explore ClickPesa’s transformative solutions today and experience the difference firsthand. Your journey to efficiency and growth starts here!

ClickPesa Product Update: January–May 2024 was originally published in ClickPesa on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

key features and tradeoffs

Fintech belongs to either innovators, who introduce entirely new concepts or products to the market, and converters, who modify existing ideas or technologies to create new financial products or introduce new ways of accessibility.

Understanding a fintech role as an innovator or converter helps in defining the fintech’s strategy; will help in building ideal customer profile, forging meaningful partnership, brand positioning and resources allocation.

Converters are more popular and generally more attractive because they can grow quicker while helping the growth of existing solutions. But innovators have a higher chance of building big businesses.

A Fintechs needs to define its Ideal customer profile (ICP). An ideal customer profile is a description of the users that’s believed to be a perfect fit for their products or services.

Identifying and prioritising the targeted ICP provides a clear story and early data points that proves the fintech’s solution. Besides, there’s a big opportunity cost to every user acquisition, so it’s critical to serve the right customers.

You should not be afraid to drop customers that do not fit into the ICP any more. Being stuck with an imperfect customer, even if they’re generating revenue now, will get in the way of fintech’s focus and growth.

Every fintech is in the risk business. Fintechs live or die on their ability to manage fraud and risk. They must deal with not only user acquisition cost, user support cost, etc, but also with the fraud and risk of each user.

A fintech’s absolute downside is not zero, but negative. A bad user in fintech can go beyond zero and actually cost money.

Treating risk management as an unavoidable cost of doing business will retaliate in revenue, resource, and user experience.

Early on in the development of their business model and/or product, fintech must decide on risk exposure controls. By incorporating risk measures into their core products, not only minimise losses of bad users, but do so without degrading the experience for good users.

Best fintech finds ways to shorten the development process but still providing a ready to use solution to the customers. This can be by changing the shape of a product to make adoption easier or unique bundling and co-selling with existing solutions.

Don’t be afraid to build with existing professional solutions. They bring faster time-to-market, access to expertise and reduced development risks; Yes, they bring additional costs and may affect revenues, but only in a short run; the strategy is to use them as a product crutch, and not dependencies.

Building Fintech Today was originally published in ClickPesa on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

We are excited to share another round of updates on the ClickPesa Dashboard. Find below our latest updates, don’t forget to check them out.

Seamlessly Connect with Offline Payment

• Offline Payment: Stay connected, even offline! With our Offline Payment feature, we’ve addressed the challenge of limited internet access, empowering businesses to accept payments anytime, anywhere and expand customer reach. Learn More

Optimized Payout Processes

• Payout Roles: We’re excited to enhance team efficiency and accountability with our Payout Roles feature, simplifying payout management and ensuring smooth workflows with specific role assignments. Learn More

• TigoPesa Payouts Name Checks: Ensure accuracy with every transaction! We’ve introduced name verification for TigoPesa payouts, minimizing discrepancies and building trust with your customers. Learn More

Enhancing Team Collaboration

• Team Settings Enhancements: Empower your team to succeed! Our updated team settings offer functionalities for managing roles, invitations, and account statuses, fostering seamless collaboration and boosting productivity. Learn More

Strengthened Security Measures

• Security Settings: Your security is our priority. We empower users with greater control over their accounts by allowing password and OTP number changes, ensuring enhanced security and peace of mind. Learn More

Simplifying Data Management

• Data Export: Simplify record-keeping and analysis! With our Data Export feature, you can effortlessly export transaction data in multiple formats and seamlessly integrate with QuickBooks, empowering informed decision-making and financial management. Learn More

Navigate Insights: Empowering Data-Driven Decisions

• Enhanced Page Functionality: Uncover actionable insights at your fingertips! Our revamped pages offer comprehensive summaries, analytics, and unified data tables with filter functionality, empowering you to make data-driven decisions with confidence. Learn More

At ClickPesa, our mission is to empower businesses with intuitive solutions that address their unique needs and drive success. By leveraging our latest features, you can streamline operations, enhance collaboration, and make informed decisions that propel your business forward.

Ready to revolutionize your business operations? Explore ClickPesa’s transformative solutions today and experience the difference firsthand. Your journey to efficiency and growth starts here!

ClickPesa Product Update: January–April 2024 was originally published in ClickPesa on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Zanzibar is not only a popular tourist destination but also a growing hub for real estate investment and up and coming technology hub. If you’re interested in buying property in Zanzibar, this guide will give you valuable tips and insights.

Who can buy property in Zanzibar?

Citizens and foreigners over 18 years old can purchase real estate in Zanzibar.

How to buy property in Zanzibar?

In a nutshell the following are the steps to follow to acquire property in Zanzibar:

1. Conduct a search through the land registry to verify ownership encumbrances.
2. Buy the property and register the purchase agreement.
3. Survey the land and place beacons on the property (if required).
4. Apply for property transfer approval.
5. Apply for a government lease.

Please note that it is highly recommended to seek professional legal advice throughout the property acquisition process in Zanzibar.

Financing options and mortgages

Tanzania mainland and Zanzibar has 47 licensed banks, including commercial, community, microfinance, development, non-bank financial institutions, house financing, and mortgage refinancing companies. Real estate agents and property developers work with these institutions to offer various financing options.

Transferring funds to buy property in Zanzibar

When considering a property purchase in Zanzibar, Clickpesa emerges as an excellent choice to meet your payment needs. As a well-established and highly regarded payment service provider specializing in cross-border payments and international money transfers, Clickpesa has earned a strong reputation among licensed and regulated companies facilitating seamless financial transactions into the region. What sets Clickpesa apart is its unwavering commitment to ensuring secure transactions. In this regard, Clickpesa has formed a valuable partnership with TZ ESCROW and Holding Limited, enabling the provision of reliable escrow solutions. This partnership effectively mitigates the risks associated with fraudulent activities, offering you peace of mind throughout your real estate transactions.

Buying Real Estate in Zanzibar: Tips, Benefits, and Financial Services was originally published in ClickPesa on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.