By A Specia Correspondent, Arusha
NMB Bank is turning to young technology innovators to develop digital solutions that could expand farmers’ access to finance and improve agricultural productivity, bringing together 20 specialists for a five-day innovation challenge.
The initiative, implemented in partnership with the Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology (NM-AIST), is being held through the AgriFin Hackathon 2026 from September 21–25 at the NM-AIST ICT Centre in Arusha.
The participants are using artificial intelligence (AI) and other new technologies to tackle real challenges in agriculture, with a particular focus on solutions that can help farmers access financial services and improve productivity.
The initiative reflects a growing push to connect Tanzania’s digital transformation with the modernisation of agriculture, where better use of digital technologies could improve access to finance, information and other services across the agricultural value chain.
NMB Head Office Human Resources Manager Joanitha Rwegasira Mrengo said the programme is designed to connect classroom knowledge with practical solutions that can have direct applications for farmers.
NM-AIST Acting Deputy Vice Chancellor responsible for Academics, Research and Innovation, Prof. Mwemezi Rwiza, said participants would receive training and mentorship in areas including AI, cybersecurity and agribusiness.
NMB experts are also involved in assessing and developing the solutions, bringing financial-sector experience into the innovation process and helping test their potential practical applications.
The hackathon will conclude on September 25, when participants will present their solutions to a panel of judges and winners will be announced.
Some of the winning innovators are expected to receive opportunities to further develop their ideas outside Tanzania, including potential exposure to South Korea. For NMB, the initiative provides a platform to tap youth-led innovation in developing technology that could support agricultural finance while contributing to wider efforts to make Tanzania’s economy more digitally enabled.
