Vodacom customers can now buy cement through M-Pesa

DAILY NEWS Reporter

TANGA Cement Managing Director, Reinhardt Swart (left) and Vodacom Tanzania’s Chief Officer – Enterprise Business Unit, Gregory Verbond, exchange documents after signing an agreement under which purchases of Simba Cement can be made through Vodacom’s M-Pesa mobile money transfer service at no extra cost at a brief occasion held in Tanga. Standing from second left are Tanga Cement Plant Manager, Ben Lema, Company’s Chief Financial Officer, Pieter de Jager and Vodacom Head of M-Pesa Sales, Paritosh Babla. (Photo by Staff Photographer)

SIMBA cement can now be purchased through M-Pesa with no extra cost after Tanga Cement and Vodacom Tanzania introduced a novel payment platform.

The mobile phone purchasing platform agreement was sealed by the two companies in Tanga where money transfer service attracts no extra costs.

Tanga Cement Managing Director Reinhardt Swart and Vodacom Chief Officer —Enterprise Business Unit, Gregory Verbond, inked the pack that centred on enabling faster and more secure transactions.

Mr Swart said the agreement offers Tanga Cement and its customers a payment solution that will improve customer’s safety and reduce time taken when buying cement. “Mobile money transfers have emerged as a safe, secure, efficient, reliable, cost effective and preferred mode of payment over cash transactions.

“We look forward to use the M-Pesa service to ease the burden and risks of customers having to carry cash in order to purchase Simba Cement,” the Managing Director said. The Tanga based cement firm said it will capitalize on M-Pesa service to expand the growing distributor network and customer base.

“By digitizing the commercial chain, we will also simplify the process by which traders order their cargo thus optimizing their time, easing management of sales, improving market visibility and empowering the trader,” Mr Swart said.

Vodacom Tanzania’s Chief Officer – Enterprise Business Unit, Gregory Verbond said the first phase would be available to all distributors, wholesalers and retailers of Simba Cement across the country.

Under the new service, Simba cement customers will be furnished with a special Vodacom M-Pesa Lipa number into which customers can deposit payments for their cement consignments via M-Pesa.

Meanwhile, Simba Imara Cement (class 32.5 R) users will from now get an airtime voucher of 500/- put inside the cement bag.

The process of inserting the vouchers in the bags is starting today, thus cement bags under class 32.5R will have airtime vouchers inside. The two firms have also embarked on a training programme aimed at enhancing users on effective use of the new service