Watu Credit (Tanzania) Limited has marked five years of operations in Tanzania, reaching more than one million customers and expanding its footprint to all 26 regions of the country.
Since launching in Dar es Salaam in 2021, Watu Tanzania has financed more than 70,000 motorcycles and three-wheelers and over 1.5 million smartphones, deploying more than TZS 700 billion in credit to support mobility, connectivity, entrepreneurship, and income generation.
Watu Tanzania celebrated the milestone in Dar es Salaam under the theme “Kila Mtu Ni Watu,” bringing together regulators, development partners, customers, business stakeholders, members of the media, and Watu colleagues to reflect on the people and partnerships behind the company’s growth.
Speaking during the occasion, Rumisho Shikonyi, Country Manager of Watu Tanzania, said the milestone reflects the company’s commitment to making financial opportunity more accessible to Tanzanians.
“Five years ago, Watu Tanzania began with a simple belief: that opportunity should never be limited by access. Today, that belief has grown into a nationwide business serving customers across Tanzania and helping more people access the tools they need to work, connect, and build better livelihoods,” he said.
Bhavin Patel, Chairman of the Board of Watu Tanzania, said the company’s first five years have laid a strong foundation for responsible and sustainable growth.
“As a Board, we are proud of what Watu Tanzania has accomplished over the past five years. Growth brings responsibility, and our role is to ensure that innovation is matched by accountability, ambition is guided by integrity, and every decision creates lasting value for our customers, partners, employees, and the communities we serve. We look to the future with confidence in our leadership, our partners, our people, and in Tanzania,” he said.
Watu Tanzania’s model combines technology with a strong local agent network to make financing easier to access, understand, and manage. Customers are able to make cashless repayments through mobile money and the Watu App, with flexible daily, weekly, and monthly repayment options.
Beyond customer financing, Watu Tanzania has also contributed to employment and leadership opportunities. The company now has more than 500 employees across the country, with women making up approximately 43 percent of its workforce and nearly half of all management positions.
Watu Tanzania expressed appreciation to the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania, regulators, local government authorities, financial institutions, manufacturers, mobile network operators, dealers, technology partners, customers, and employees for their role in supporting the company’s journey over the past five years.
As Watu Tanzania enters its next chapter, the company remains committed to expanding access to productive assets, investing in technology, strengthening partnerships, and building solutions that support Tanzanians across the country.
The moment highlights the leadership behind Watu Tanzania’s growth journey as the company marks five years of expanding access to mobility, connectivity, asset financing and financial opportunity across the country. The event was held on 29 June 2026 in Dar es Salaam.
