By Business Insider Reporter
Vodacom Tanzania and ride-hailing platform Bolt have introduced a service allowing eligible customers to take rides and pay later through M-Pesa’s MGODI credit facility, bringing short-term digital credit into everyday transport.
The Ride Now, Pay Later service allows qualifying M-Pesa customers to select the payment option when booking a Bolt ride and settle the amount within 30 days, subject to applicable terms and credit approval.
The arrangement connects Vodacom’s mobile financial services with Bolt’s digital mobility platform, offering customers an alternative when they need transport but do not have cash immediately available.
Beyond the convenience for riders, the partnership illustrates how mobile-money providers and digital platforms are combining services to extend the reach of financial products into routine consumer spending.
The partnership builds on an existing relationship between the two platforms. Vodacom said in a presser that 266,000 of Bolt’s 700,000 users in Tanzania already use M-Pesa, representing about 38 percent of the user base.
For Vodacom, the arrangement extends M-Pesa’s role beyond conventional payments by connecting its credit facility to a frequently used service. For Bolt, it introduces another payment option that could help eligible customers complete journeys when immediate cash availability is a constraint.
Acting M-Pesa Director Tulisindo Rashid said the partnership reflects Vodacom’s ambition to extend the practical value of its services beyond connectivity and technology. He said the collaboration connects digital financial services with everyday activities, making technology more relevant to customers’ needs.
“At Vodacom, being more than a network means using our capabilities and partnerships to deliver meaningful value in our customers’ everyday lives. Through our partnership with Bolt, we are extending the practical value of M-Pesa beyond payments by connecting digital financial services to everyday activities and journeys that matter to our customers. This is one of the ways we are bringing our More than a network commitment to life, developing customer-centered services that respond to real needs and make technology more relevant to people’s lives,” said Rashid.
Bolt Tanzania Country Manager Cynthia Ponera said the service gives eligible riders greater flexibility in paying for journeys associated with work, business and personal commitments.
“Getting around is part of people’s everyday routines, whether they are travelling to work, meeting a customer or taking care of personal commitments. Through this partnership with M-Pesa, eligible customers have greater flexibility in how they pay for Bolt rides. We are pleased to work together to offer a convenient payment option that fits into the way customers already use digital services,” she said.
To qualify, customers must be at least 18 years old, have used M-Pesa for at least 90 days, complete the required Know Your Customer verification, be active Bolt riders and pass the applicable credit assessment.
Customers can check their eligibility and available credit limit through the M-Pesa USSD menu by dialling 15000# or through the M-Pesa Super App. Eligible users can then select Ride Now, Pay Later when booking through the Bolt app. As the two companies bring mobile finance and ride-hailing closer together, the service offers another example of how digital platforms are expanding their roles in Tanzania’s consumer economy.
