Dar es Salaam, Tanzania – 23 July 2026: As Tanzania advances one of its most significant steps yet towards a cashless economy, Stanbic Bank Tanzania, in partnership with Visa, has concluded a campaign that delivered a sharp rise in secure, cross-border digital payments — reinforcing both partners’ commitment to the country’s wider digital and financial inclusion agenda.
The results point to a decisive shift in customer behaviour. Over the campaign period, card usage grew by 113% in transaction volume and 201% in value, while card activation rose by 3,082% in transaction volume and 449% in value — a clear signal of rapidly growing customer confidence in digital, cross-border payments.
The initiative comes at a pivotal moment for Tanzania. With the Government now requiring digital payments across key sectors of the economy, and the National Financial Inclusion Framework (2023–2028) driving broader access to affordable financial services, the demand for trusted, globally accepted payment solutions has never been greater. Stanbic and Visa’s cross-border campaign was designed to meet that moment — giving customers the confidence to transact securely beyond Tanzania’s borders.
Focused on Stanbic’s Personal and Private Banking customers, the campaign promoted the convenience, security and global acceptance of Stanbic Visa Cards for international travel, online shopping, education payments and business transactions. It paired direct customer engagement with practical education on the benefits of moving from cash to secure digital payments — helping customers understand not only how to transact across borders, but why doing so digitally is safer and simpler.
Speaking on the campaign, Emmanuel Mahodanga, Head of Personal Banking at Stanbic Bank Tanzania, said the results reflect a shared ambition that extends well beyond banking.
“These numbers tell us Tanzanians are ready to embrace secure digital payments — and our partnership with Visa is about more than issuing cards; it is about equipping them to participate fully in a digital, connected economy,” said Mahodanga. “As the country accelerates towards cashless payments, our role is to give customers secure, globally accepted solutions they can trust, whether they are travelling, studying abroad or doing business internationally. Every customer who chooses to transact digitally is helping build a more inclusive and modern financial system for Tanzania.”
Echoing that ambition, Victor Makere, Country Manager, Visa Tanzania, said the collaboration supports the nation’s broader digital transformation.
“At Visa, we are proud to partner with Stanbic Bank in advancing secure, seamless digital payments at a time when Tanzania is making real strides towards a cashless economy,” said Makere. “Growth of this scale shows what strong partnerships can achieve in building the everyday confidence customers need to transact across borders, while supporting the national goal of a more digital and financially inclusive Tanzania. We look forward to deepening our work with Stanbic to accelerate digital commerce and deliver greater value to customers.”
Stanbic Visa Cards give customers secure, convenient and globally accepted payment solutions, enabling seamless transactions across millions of merchants worldwide. Whether travelling, studying abroad, shopping online or making international business payments, cardholders can transact with confidence anywhere Visa is accepted, supported by enhanced security features and access to travel, lifestyle and merchant offers.
Looking ahead, Stanbic Bank and Visa will continue to deepen their partnership to expand digital payment adoption across Tanzania. Planned areas of focus include broadening customer education on international and digital payments, widening access to Visa’s global rewards and merchant offers, and using data-driven insights to deliver more personalised, relevant customer experiences.
These efforts support Stanbic Bank’s commitment to delivering innovative banking solutions that meet customers’ evolving needs, while contributing to Tanzania’s transition towards a more digital, connected and financially inclusive economy.
