Vodacom Tanzania and Vivo Energy Team Up for Digital Fuel Payments and Financial Inclusion Enhancement
In a strategic move to advance Tanzania's digital payment landscape and foster greater financial inclusion, Vodacom Tanzania and Vivo Energy Tanzania have joined forces. This partnership, which became effective on July 15, 2025, focuses on integrating Vodacom's M-Pesa digital payment solutions at Vivo Energy's fuel stations across the country.
With Vodacom Tanzania marking 25 years of service, the collaboration aims to digitize fuel payments, allowing customers to pay securely and efficiently without cash. This initiative encourages the expansion of digital financial services, particularly reaching Tanzanians who may not have access to traditional banking, thereby promoting financial inclusion.
The partnership leverages Vodacom's M-Pesa platform, a leading mobile money service, to enable customers to make digital payments conveniently at Vivo Energy's fuel stations. This move is expected to accelerate the adoption of mobile money payments in the energy sector, a critical industry for everyday consumers.
Through the collaboration, Vivo Energy benefits from streamlined payment processes, and Vodacom strengthens its M-Pesa ecosystem by expanding use cases beyond traditional services like airtime and bill payments.
The partnership is not limited to digital payments. Engen customers will soon have the option to access smartphones through a lending scheme from Vodacom. Moreover, a key innovation introduced is "Chomoka" loans, providing fuel credits to various drivers.
The launch event took place at the Engen petrol station in Mikocheni, Dar es Salaam. Engen customers making M-Pesa payments for fuel purchases of TZS 10,000 or more on Saturdays and Sundays will be rewarded with a free liter of fuel. This special offer became available at all Engen stations nationwide starting Saturday, July 19, 2025.
Mohamed Bougriba, CEO of Vivo Energy Tanzania, reaffirms commitment to superior customer service for fuel and product payments. Epimack Mbeteni, M-Pesa Director at Vodacom Tanzania, emphasized the ease and potential revenue growth the partnership brings.
The partnership aims to usher in a new era of convenience and financial inclusion. It helps bring more Tanzanians into the digital financial system, including underserved populations in both urban and rural areas. By facilitating cashless transactions at fuel stations, reliance on cash reduces, which enhances convenience and security for consumers.
The expanded use of M-Pesa for fuel payments exemplifies how mobile financial services can drive broader digital transformation and economic participation in Tanzania. Vodacom Tanzania leads the market with 28 million active lines, and M-Pesa commands over 40 percent of the mobile financial services market.
In summary, the Vodacom-Vivo Energy partnership is a strategic move to digitize fuel payments through M-Pesa, advancing Tanzania's digital payment landscape and fostering greater financial inclusion for communities across the country. Both Vodacom Tanzania and Vivo Energy Tanzania extend a welcome to all drivers to take advantage of the free one-liter fuel offer by purchasing fuel starting at TZS 10,000 via M-Pesa payments every Saturday and Sunday.
- The partnership between Vodacom Tanzania and Vivo Energy Tanzania incorporates 'Vodacom's M-Pesa digital payment solutions' at Vivo Energy's fuel stations, aiming to digitize fuel payments and encourage the expansion of 'digital financial services' in Tanzania.
- The innovation of offering "Chomoka" loans to various drivers is a notable part of this collaboration, as it provides fuel credits to those who might otherwise struggle with access to traditional banking, promoting 'financial inclusion'.
- The strategic move is expected to accelerate the adoption of mobile money payments in the energy sector, ultimately leading to the broader digital transformation and economic participation of 'Tanzanians' across urban and rural areas.
