By: Kanto
Kai Okanta
Bolt Tanzania and Vodacom
Tanzania have launched a “Ride Now, Pay Later” service that allows eligible
customers to pay for rides using mobility credit and repay later through
M-Pesa.
The service, described as a
first for Tanzania, uses Mgodi to provide embedded mobility credit to Vodacom’s
more than 20 million active customers, enabling them to order rides through
Bolt and M-Pesa channels and repay the credit later through M-Pesa.
Cynthia Ponera, Country
Manager of Bolt for Business Tanzania and Chairperson of the Tanzania Fintech
Association (TAFINA), announced the launch, saying the service would make
mobility more flexible and accessible.
“Today, Bolt Tanzania and
Vodacom Tanzania launched Ride Now, Pay Later, a first for the country. I’m
proud to share this one,” Ponera said.
She said the initiative
followed a lengthy process, beginning with an idea introduced by Milu Kipimo,
before Eleanora Maruma secured a meeting with Vodacom Tanzania Plc and helped
turn the vision into reality.
“I had the privilege of
leading the process alongside them, and seeing it go live today makes it even
more meaningful,” Ponera said.
The service is intended to
support financial inclusion by providing mobile-first credit that customers can
use when they need transport, while integrating digital payments, credit and
mobility within a single ecosystem.
Ponera said the initiative
could also help professionals, entrepreneurs and small-business owners maintain
access to transport when cash flow is tight.
“Transport connects people
to workplaces, customers, markets and meetings. By reducing the immediate cash
barrier to travel, professionals, entrepreneurs and small-business owners can
keep moving when cash flow is tight,” she said.
She described the launch as
a step towards a more digitally connected Tanzania, where customers can use
their wallets and credit to access mobility services.
Ponera thanked Vodacom
Tanzania Plc, including Philip Besiimire and Tulisindo Rashid, as well as
Nadeem Juma, Michael Tarimo and the _able team, Access Bank Plc, Diamond Trust
Bank Tanzania, Juliano Fatio, Karla Agan and the Bolt for Business Tanzania team
for their collaboration and support.
She said the partners shared
a commitment to making mobility more accessible through the service.
