Tag Archives: Digital wallet

29Jul/26

Why Zambia’s Digital Rails Need Routine

Zambia’s Digital Payment Landscape: Bridging the Gap from Rails to Routine

Wed, July 29 2026 /Mpelembe Media/ — Zambia has made remarkable strides in expanding financial access, achieving a financial inclusion rate of 80.1% by 2025, a significant increase from 69.4% in 2020. A cornerstone of this progress is the National Financial Switch (NFS), a shared infrastructure that connects banks, payment service providers, fintechs, and mobile money operators. By facilitating wallet-to-bank, bank-to-wallet, and merchant transactions, the NFS eliminates the need for institutions to build expensive bilateral connections. However, despite these foundational achievements, Zambia faces a critical new challenge: transitioning these digital “rails” into an affordable, trusted, and everyday routine for its citizens. Continue reading

29Jul/26

How Shoprite Became Africa’s Operating System

The Digital Integration and Social Evolution of African Retail: An Analysis of Mobile Wallet Adoption and Community Impact

Wed, July 29 2026 /Mpelembe Media/ — The landscape of retail in Africa is undergoing a profound transformation, characterized by the rapid digitization of payment ecosystems and a deep, institutional commitment to social impact. Driven by high mobile penetration and the need for inclusive financial services, retailers are rethinking traditional commercial infrastructures to better serve unbanked populations. A leading example of this dual evolution is observed in Zambia, where Shoprite Holdings has seamlessly integrated mobile wallet payments into its point-of-sale systems while simultaneously expanding its extensive community resilience programs. Continue reading