• Digital PayGo is the first partner to utilise SME in-a-box from Ukheshe to its fullest extent.
• The solution offers a range of virtual financial services to SMEs.
• Ukheske plans to roll out its services to other emerging markets like Zambia moving forward.

In recent months we have seen fintech enablement platform Ukheshe ramp up its efforts to partner with companies across the African continent. One such partnership that is yielding benefit for merchants in the region is Digital PayGo in Zambia.

The pair have partnered on making Ukheshe’s SME in-a-box solution available in Zambia, with it already said to be enhancing the digital payments space in the country, according to the company.

“We’re so proud to be the technology partner enabling Digital PayGo in their partnership with Zambian bank Zanaco and Mastercard to implement this solution,” notes Mark Dankworth, president of Business Development in Africa at Ukheshe, in a press release sent to Hypertext.

“In line with Mastercard’s vision of enabling 50 million SMEs by 2025, the relationship between Ukheshe and Digital PayGo was a natural fit, given our shared values of driving financial inclusion with relevant solutions that address the needs of individuals and businesses. To be able to make a difference such as this in the Zambian Merchant payments ecosystem is truly exciting,” he highlights.

For those unfamiliar with the SME in-a-box suite of services, it includes acceptance of virtual and physical card payments; tap-on-phone (SoftPOS) and QR payments, digital onboarding, along with instant access to funds for money transfers and payments, as well as virtual card issuing.

All of this functionality is powered by Ukheshe’s Eclipse API.

“SME in a box – Lipila Na PayGo – will cater for the pressing need of SMEs which is to make and receive payments seamlessly, while keeping a track record of all transactions thus making reporting and access to finance a possibility. We believe the solution will not only improve access to finance and financial inclusion but will increase trust in digital financial solutions as well,” adds Charity Mwanza, CEO of Digital PayGo.

With the Zambian SME and merchant market now benefitting, Ukheshe is targeting more territories too.

“Our technology has already improved financial access in locations across the continent, and we believe this partnership will do the same in Zambia and other emerging markets – changing millions of lives for the better,” concludes Dankworth.