For most customers in Tanzania, the easiest way to pay is not a card – it is their phone. M-Pesa, Airtel Money, Mixx by Yas (formerly Tigo Pesa), HaloPesa and other mobile wallets are part of daily life. If your website sells products, takes bookings or collects fees, letting people pay by mobile money can turn interested visitors into paying customers.
The simple option: show a payment number
Many small businesses start by displaying a Lipa Namba or till number on their website and asking customers to send proof of payment by WhatsApp. This works, costs almost nothing and is easy to set up. Its weaknesses appear as you grow:
- staff must check every payment by hand;
- mistakes and fake "payment messages" are possible;
- orders are not confirmed automatically;
- it is hard to match payments to orders at the end of the month.
If you handle a few orders a week, this may be enough. If you handle dozens a day, you need an integrated payment.
The integrated option: payment gateways
An integrated payment works like this:
- The customer chooses their products or service and enters their phone number.
- The website sends a payment request to a payment gateway.
- The customer receives a prompt on their phone (often called a "push" or USSD prompt) and enters their PIN.
- The gateway tells your website the payment succeeded, and the order is confirmed automatically.
You can connect directly to an individual mobile network, but most businesses use a payment aggregator. An aggregator lets you accept several networks – and often cards – through one integration and one settlement account. This saves development time and makes reporting simpler.
What you will usually need
Requirements differ between providers, but expect to prepare:
- business registration documents (such as a certificate of incorporation or business name registration);
- a TIN and, where applicable, VAT registration;
- a business bank account for settlements;
- identification for directors or owners;
- a working website that explains what you sell, your prices, contact details and your refund policy.
Providers check that your business is real and that your website is clear. A half-finished site with no contact information can delay approval.
Costs to plan for
Payment providers usually charge a percentage or a fee per transaction. Some also charge setup or monthly fees. When comparing providers, ask:
- What is the fee per successful transaction?
- How quickly is money settled to our bank account?
- Which networks and cards are supported?
- Is there a test (sandbox) environment for development?
- What support is available when a payment fails?
Build transaction fees into your pricing rather than being surprised by them later.
Design the payment experience for phones
Most payments will happen on a phone, often while the customer is busy. Keep the process short:
- ask only for the information you truly need;
- clearly show the amount and what it is for before the prompt is sent;
- tell the customer to keep their phone unlocked and wait for the PIN prompt;
- show a clear success page and send a confirmation by SMS, email or WhatsApp;
- offer a simple way to retry if the prompt does not arrive.
Protect yourself and your customers
- Never confirm an order based only on a screenshot or SMS forwarded by the customer. Wait for confirmation from the gateway or your official statement.
- Keep a clear record that links each payment reference to an order.
- Publish a refund and cancellation policy.
- Make sure your website uses HTTPS (the padlock in the browser).
- Limit who on your team can see and export payment data.
Start small and grow
You do not need a complex online shop on day one. Many businesses begin with a payment link for a few popular services, learn how customers behave, then expand. What matters is that paying you is easy and that every payment is recorded correctly.
Daraja builds websites and business systems with mobile money payments built in. Tell us about your project.