DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

Zanzibar plans to speed up digital transformation across islands

By our News Team | 2023

Collaboration with Mastercard will help consumers and businesses to enjoy a more seamless, efficient and inclusive digital environment.

As digital transformation becomes increasingly relevant across Africa for e-commerce, retailing, supply chain management and the overall financial inclusion of consumers, Mastercard has announced a collaborated with the Zanzibar e-Government Agency (eGAZ) to accelerate its digital transformation journey.

This will allow different business sectors across the Zanzibar islands, including tourism, to digitise payments and, according to the two organisations, “will significantly contribute to robust economic growth”.

Photo by Dmitry Limonov from Pexels

Under the three-year collaboration, Mastercard will provide technical assistance and expertise to support the Zanzibar government’s efforts.

This includes setting up a digital transformation team, collaborating with the government’s payment portal – named ZanMalipo – to enable digital payments, and launch two million government cards for better access to services and tourism.

Access to a wider range of payment methods

The financial solutions being employed include the Mastercard Payment Gateway Services, which enables merchants to accept a wide range of payment methods – including mobile payments, credit cards and e-wallets.

“The like-minded collaboration between Mastercard and the Zanzibar e-Government Agency will help power an inclusive, digital economy that benefits everyone, everywhere in Zanzibar. It is a testament to the profound impact of digitisation and … the value of fostering cross-sector collaboration, fuelling economic growth and facilitating financial and digital inclusion,” says Shehryar Ali, Country Manager for East Africa at Mastercard.

Adds Said Seif Said, Managing Director of eGAZ: “This collaboration affirms our commitment to harnessing innovative technologies for service delivery enhancement. We believe that by working with Mastercard, a trusted partner, we can significantly accelerate the realisation of our digital strategy and provide invaluable benefits to our citizens.”

According to a media statement released by the two organisations, development of a fast and secure digital infrastructure for the delivery of services to citizens, tourists and the business community remains Zanzibar’s immediate focus, with plans to position the island as a major player in the pan-African trade transformation journey.

“The ultimate beneficiaries of these initiatives are consumers, who will enjoy a more seamless, efficient, and inclusive digital environment,” the statement concludes.

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