UmojaSwitch

What UmojaSwitch does

UmojaSwitch Co. Ltd is a Tanzanian shared electronic payment and fund-transfer switch, founded in 2006 as a banking consortium and incorporated in 2012 as a private company owned by its member banks. Headquartered in Dar es Salaam, it operates a network of 260+ shared ATMs across mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar and provides interoperability between commercial banks, microfinance institutions, mobile network operators (Vodacom/M-Pesa, Tigo, Airtel, Halotel), the Government Electronic Payment Gateway (GePG), and international card schemes (Visa and UnionPay).

The platform is built around three core products: Umoja ATMs (shared inter-bank ATM network with Visa/UnionPay acquiring and mobile wallet cash-outs), Umoja Mobile Banking (USSD *150*45# code and mobile app for balance inquiry, transfers, mVisa, and bill payments), and Umoja Agency Banking (shared agent platform for branchless deposits, withdrawals, and bill payments). Adjacent service lines include ATM hardware sales/leasing and maintenance via a Diebold Nixdorf country-distributor partnership, and tailored banking training programs covering operations, IT, finance, and customer service.

UmojaSwitch monetizes through multiple fee streams: ATM transaction fees, mobile and agency banking platform fees, Visa processing and UnionPay acquiring fees, ATM hardware sales and leases, maintenance contracts, and training/workshop revenue. Customers are primarily its 17–20 member banks (with 10–11 also being shareholders) that white-label or co-brand these services to their end customers, making the business model a classic B2B shared-infrastructure play rather than a direct-to-consumer offering.

Name

UmojaSwitch

Legal name

UmojaSwitch Co. Ltd

Website

https://umojaswitch.co.tz

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

UmojaSwitch is a Tanzania-based shared electronic payments switch founded in 2006, owned by and serving 17–20 member banks through 260+ shared ATMs, USSD and app mobile banking (*150*45#), agency banking, and Visa/UnionPay processing.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Payment Infrastructure

NAICS

Financial Transactions Processing, Reserve, and Clearinghouse Activities (52232), Financial Transactions Processing, Reserve, and Clearinghouse Activities (522320)

akta.pro primary industry

ATM / Cash Access Network Schemes (FSAMAAAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Payments Operations (ACH/Wire/RTGS, SWIFT, SEPA, Checks) (FSABALAB), Alternative Payments & Digital Wallet Acceptance (A2A, RTP, wallets) (THALAHAH)

Keywords

• Shared payment infrastructure
• ATM network services
• Mobile banking platform
• Agency banking services
• Electronic fund transfer

Headquarters

HQ city

Dar Es Salaam

HQ country

Tanzania

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. ATM Transaction Fees: Fees charged to member banks for ATM transactions including cash withdrawals, balance inquiries, and transfers conducted on the shared ATM network
2. Mobile Banking Platform Fees: Revenue from providing mobile banking platform services to member banks, including USSD and mobile app access for banks' customers
3. Agency Banking Platform Fees: Fees from agency banking platform services enabling banks to recruit agents and provide banking services at reduced operational costs
4. ATM Machine Sales and Leasing: Revenue from selling and leasing Diebold Nixdorf ATM machines to banks. Leasing model is particularly suitable for small and medium-sized banks managing cash liquidity
5. ATM Support and Maintenance Services: Revenue from ATM support, maintenance, and repair activities performed by certified local engineers
6. Training and Workshops: Revenue from conducting specialized trainings/workshops for banks covering banking operations, digital payments, IT, customer service, finance, HR, and sales
7. Visa Processing Services: Fees from Visa card issuance, ATM card acquiring, merchant payments, and Visa on Mobile (mVisa) services
8. UnionPay Card Acquiring: Revenue from UnionPay ATM card acquiring services including balance inquiries and cash withdrawals

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

UmojaSwitch operates a shared electronic payment and fund transfer network infrastructure that connects member banks, mobile network operators, the Government Electronic Payment Gateway (GePG), and utility billers across Tanzania. The company provides a unified switching platform for interbank ATM transactions, USSD-based mobile banking, agency banking, and international card scheme services (Visa and UnionPay). It also sells, leases, and maintains ATM hardware and delivers training services to financial institutions.

Product overview

UmojaSwitch is a shared electronic payment network platform operated by UmojaSwitch Company Limited (established 2012, originally consortium in 2006), owned by 17+ member banks in Tanzania. The core platform provides interconnected banking services through three main products: Umoja ATMs (260+ shared ATMs offering cash withdrawal, transfers, wallet cash outs, and card acquiring for Visa and UnionPay), Umoja Mobile Banking (USSD and app-based banking via *150*45#), and Umoja Agency Banking (shared agent platform). The portfolio extends to ATM Support services (sales, leasing, maintenance via Diebold Nixdorf partnership), Umoja Training (banking workshops), and Umoja Card (co-branded ATM card). The platform serves as infrastructure connecting member banks with MNOs, GePG, utility companies, and billers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Umoja Card: Umoja co-branded ATM card offered by UmojaSwitch to member banks' customers.

Products and services

• Umoja ATMs (Shared ATM Network) A shared ATM network of 260+ terminals across Tanzania, allowing cardholders of any member bank to transact at any Umoja ATM. Provided to member banks and their account holders as a single interoperable cash-access network.
• Umoja Mobile Banking USSD-based mobile banking platform that enables bank customers to access their accounts and conduct transactions via mobile phones across Vodacom/M-Pesa, Tigo, Airtel, Halotel, and Zantel networks.
• Umoja Agency Banking Agency banking platform that allows member banks to extend deposit, withdrawal, and payment services through authorized agents and merchants across Tanzania, complementing ATM and branch-based banking.
• Umoja ATM Support Sales, leasing, and maintenance of ATM hardware (in partnership with Diebold Nixdorf) for member banks that need to deploy or upgrade terminals on the UmojaSwitch network.
• Umoja Training Professional training and workshop services for member banks and partners covering ATM operations, card schemes, mobile banking, agency banking, and other payment infrastructure topics.
• VISA Services on UmojaSwitch Visa-based card services offered through the UmojaSwitch platform, including Visa card issuance, ATM card acquiring, merchant payments, and mVisa services for member banks.
• UnionPay Services on UmojaSwitch UnionPay-based card services offered through the UmojaSwitch platform, including UnionPay card issuance on UmojaSwitch and acquiring of UnionPay international cards at member bank ATMs.
• Umoja Card Co-branded ATM card issued by member banks on the UmojaSwitch platform, allowing cardholders to transact at any Umoja ATM and interoperable terminal across the network.

Quantifiable outcome

• Low operational costs for member banks through shared infrastructure model
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers17 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration11 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Bank of TanzaniacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegulatory partner and central bank of Tanzania. Partnership provides institutional oversight and alignment with national payment system regulations.
• VISAcoreTechnology or IntegrationPartnership with Visa Inc. to provide Visa services including Visa card issuance, ATM card acquiring on Umoja ATMs, merchant payments, and Visa on Mobile (mVisa) services.
• UnionPay InternationalcoreTechnology or IntegrationPartnership with UnionPay International for ATM card acquiring. UnionPay is the largest card scheme in the world with the largest ATM card base. Services include balance inquiry and cash withdrawals on Umoja ATMs.
• Diebold NixdorfcoreTechnology or IntegrationCountry distributor and partner with Diebold Nixdorf, the largest ATM manufacturing company in the world. Provides ATM sales, leasing, maintenance, and repair services with certified local engineering team.
• VodacommajorTechnology or IntegrationPartnership with Vodacom for M-Pesa wallet cash-outs on Umoja ATMs and integration with mobile banking platform for bill payments and transfers.
• TigomajorTechnology or IntegrationPartnership with Tigo for Tigo Pesa wallet cash-outs on Umoja ATMs and integration with mobile banking platform for bill payments and transfers.
• AirtelmajorTechnology or IntegrationPartnership with Airtel for Airtel Money wallet cash-outs on Umoja ATMs and integration with mobile banking platform for bill payments and transfers.
• HalotelmajorTechnology or IntegrationPartnership with Halotel for HaloPesa wallet cash-outs on Umoja ATMs and integration with mobile banking platform.
• GePGcoreTechnology or IntegrationIntegration with Government Electronic Payment Gateway (GePG) enabling utility payments, GePG payments, and other government bill payments through Umoja mobile and agency banking platforms.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Cellulant: Pan-African digital payments platform that connects banks, mobile network operators, and merchants through a single API, including bill payments, collections, and disbursements. Comparable to UmojaSwitch in its role as an interoperability layer, with overlapping bank and MNO integrations and a similar bill-payment/GePG-like use case in multiple African countries.
• Onafriq (formerly MFS Africa): Africa's largest mobile money interconnectivity hub, enabling cross-border payments and interoperability between mobile wallets and banks across 40+ African markets. Comparable to UmojaSwitch's MNO wallet-to-bank cash-out interoperability model, though Onafriq focuses on cross-border mobile money rather than domestic ATM switching.
• Interswitch: Nigerian payment switch and digital commerce company that operates shared electronic payment infrastructure connecting banks, mobile money operators, and merchants across Africa. Closely comparable to UmojaSwitch in business model — shared switch for banks and interoperability with global card schemes — though larger and operating across multiple West and East African markets.
• Pesalink: Kenyan interbank payment switch operated by the Kenya Bankers Association, enabling real-time account-to-account transfers and shared payment infrastructure across Kenyan banks. Functionally analogous to UmojaSwitch's shared ATM and inter-bank transfer rails, though geographically separate and focused on real-time payments rather than ATM switching.

Broad incumbents

• Visa Inc. Global card network and payments technology company that partners with UmojaSwitch to deliver Visa card issuance, ATM acquiring, and mVisa services in Tanzania. Comparable as a payments infrastructure provider that UmojaSwitch partners with, though Visa operates globally and offers card scheme services rather than bank-switch infrastructure.
• Network International: Leading payment processor in the Middle East and Africa offering merchant acquiring, card processing, and digital payment solutions. Comparable in card acquiring and ATM processing capabilities that overlap with UmojaSwitch's Visa and UnionPay processing, though Network International is much larger and operates as a broad incumbent across MEA.
• PayU: Global digital payments provider with strong presence in emerging markets including Africa, offering merchant payment processing and gateway services. Comparable as a broader payments platform with bank and merchant integrations, though PayU operates at a global scale and focuses on online merchant acquiring rather than shared ATM switching.

Emerging players

• TagPay: Provider of digital banking platform infrastructure for banks and fintechs, particularly focused on mobile banking, agency banking, and core banking in emerging markets. Comparable to UmojaSwitch's mobile and agency banking platform layer, though TagPay focuses on the underlying banking software stack rather than operating a switch.
• Flutterwave: Pan-African payments technology company providing payment infrastructure for businesses to send and receive money across Africa, with bank and mobile money integrations. Comparable in its role as pan-African payment infrastructure, though Flutterwave focuses on merchant/developer-facing APIs rather than bank-to-bank switching.

Regional players

• Pegasus Technologies (Zimbabwe Switch): Zimbabwe's national payment switch operated by Zimswitch, providing shared ATM, POS, and electronic payment infrastructure connecting banks in Zimbabwe. Functionally analogous to UmojaSwitch as a bank-owned shared payment switch with Visa/UnionPay integrations, but focused exclusively on the Zimbabwean market.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/UmojaSwitch2006
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/umojaswitch-company-limited

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about UmojaSwitch