KCB BANK TANZANIA LAUNCHES ZED 360 DIGITAL SYSTEM TO STREAMLINE SCHOOL FEE COLLECTION

BAGAMOYO, Tanzania – 17 September 2026 – KCB Bank Tanzania has officially launched ZED 360, a digital solution designed to improve school fee collection, payment reconciliation and financial information management for educational institutions across Tanzania.

The ZED 360 platform has been developed to help schools address ongoing challenges in revenue management, including difficulties in payment reconciliation, monitoring collections, maintaining financial records and accessing real-time financial information.

Speaking during the launch ceremony, KCB Bank Tanzania Managing Director, Cosmas Kimario, said the bank continues to put customers at the centre of its services by leveraging technology to provide solutions that simplify day-to-day operations for different customer segments.

“Through ZED 360, schools will have greater visibility in managing their revenues, reduce reliance on manual processes and make decisions using accurate, real-time information. The system has been designed to improve efficiency and strengthen accountability within educational institutions,” said Kimario.

ZED 360 Simplifies School Fee Management

ZED 360 simplifies the entire school fee management process, including invoice generation, fee collection, payment reconciliation and real-time financial reporting.

The system also benefits parents and guardians by enabling them to receive invoices conveniently and make school fee payments securely through multiple channels.

Through ZED 360, parents and guardians can pay school fees through all KCB Bank Tanzania branches, the KCB Mobile App, KCB agents and Mixx by Yas agents across the country.

Driving Digital Transformation in Education

The launch of ZED 360 forms part of KCB Bank Tanzania’s strategy to continue investing in digital transformation aimed at improving customer experience, increasing institutional efficiency and supporting the development of various sectors of the economy.

In the education sector, the solution is expected to help institutions enhance transparency in revenue and financial information management while enabling school administrators to access critical information in real time and make data-driven decisions.

KCB Bank Tanzania also thanked the management of Marian School for participating in the initial testing of the system, which provided valuable feedback that helped improve the solution ahead of its official launch.

KCB Calls on Schools to Embrace Digital Solutions

KCB Bank Tanzania has urged educational institutions across the country to embrace ZED 360 to improve school fee management, enhance transparency in financial systems and strengthen the delivery of education services.

By integrating school fee collection, payment reconciliation and financial reporting into a digital platform, ZED 360 is designed to support schools in managing their revenues and financial information more efficiently.

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WHY AFRICA IS EMERGING AS A STRATEGIC GLOBAL CONNECTOR?

By Nellyana Mmanyi, Corporate Banking Director, Absa Bank Tanzania

Global trade is being reshaped by geopolitics, as supply chains fragment and new alliances redraw the map of commerce. For Africa, this is not just disruption, it’s a strategic opening. In this pivotal decade, as companies diversify sourcing and rethink trade routes, the continent, particularly East Africa, is emerging as a critical connector between global markets.

Converting this moment into meaningful growth will depend on reducing friction, improving access to trade finance and enabling businesses to move with speed and certainty. This is where banks can play a fundamental role.

As change interrupts existing ways of trade, there’s a palpable shift from efficiency to resilience. Corporates are diversifying their supply chains, reducing single country dependence, for example, on China. They’re favouring nearshoring and friendshoring, expanding into Southern East Asia and India. Trade routes are becoming more regional and more complex with multiple sourcing and transit options built in to manage geopolitical risk.

More corridor-based trade routes are emerging. Trading based on proximity to geopolitical markets is increasing.

Africa is increasingly acting as both a production base and a trade connector with the Middle East and Asia. We see this in agriculture, business, manufacturing and the transit trade which is supported by improving port infrastructure and growing regional integration.

East Africa is no longer just a future opportunity - it is already emerging as a strategic trade bridge, with the region firmly positioned as one of the continent’s key growth hubs. The increasing interest from major international and regional banks seeking to establish or expand their presence here is a clear indication of where Africa’s growth momentum lies.

From a logistics and trade perspective, East Africa plays a pivotal gateway role. The Port of Dar es Salaam, for example, is a critical entry point supporting landlocked markets such as the DRC, Zambia, Uganda, and Rwanda. This importance is further reinforced by ongoing investments in key transport corridors, including Tanzania’s Central Corridor and Kenya’s Northern Corridor, which continue to enhance connectivity and facilitate trade across the region.

However, pragmatic barriers still prevent businesses from fully capitalising on these new trade opportunities. Despite the momentum, the execution challenges remain significant. The main constraints are logistical inefficiencies, regulatory fragmentation like non-trade barriers across African markets, customs inefficiencies and inconsistent policies in East Africa. Slow implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) at an operational level is a concern and foreign exchange volatility and market access to trade finance, particularly for SMEs, remain an obstacle. While there is demand for their goods, they struggle with execution across borders. Logistical inefficiencies in terms of infrastructure, like port congestion, railroad inefficiencies, potholes and a lack of tarmac, coupled with high inland transport costs, all hinder successful trade.

Financial institutions can support clients in navigating these complexities. To be successful in a competitive market, banks must differentiate themselves by moving beyond transactions to end-to-end trade enablement. At Absa, we are seeing growing demand from corporates for integrated cross-border banking support that combines trade finance, foreign exchange solutions and regional market expertise. Clients are looking not just for funding, but for banking partners that can help them navigate increasingly complex trade corridors with speed and certainty. Banks must therefore offer not just vanilla letters of credit, or overdraft facilities, but flexible trade finance and structured trade solutions.

Speed as a differentiator is critical. Ultimately the bank that moves fastest wins the client.

Looking ahead, multiple factors will determine whether Africa truly captures this moment or misses the golden opportunity. Success will depend on five factors.

Firstly, the implementation of the AfCFTA is paramount, to move from policy to real trade flows and reducing non-tariff barriers.

Secondly, infrastructure delivery, for ports, rail and energy investment, must translate into efficiency and not just capacity.

We need to improve access to capital by bridging the trade finance gap and supporting the SME-sized corporates to upscale regionally.

Fourth, is an industrialisation focus and a shift from raw export materials to value added production and the involvement of regional supply chains.

Lastly, institutional coordination in terms of alignment between government, banks and the private sector is critical. We need policy consistency and investor confidence.

Africa, East Africa in particular, has a remarkable opportunity to position itself in global trade, not only in terms of its excellent existing market, but as a connector and a production hub. Success won’t be automatic. It will depend on the speed of execution, access to capital and the ability of banking institutions to actively enable clients across the trade value chain. The opportunity is real, but it won’t wait.

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OTR STAFF RECEIVE TRAINING ON QUALITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

By the OTR Reporter, Dar es Salaam │ The Office of the Treasury Registrar (OTR) has stepped up efforts to strengthen its operational systems by equipping staff with knowledge and skills on the Quality Management System (QMS), as part of its drive to align the institution with internationally recognised quality standards.

The training, conducted by Amaxon Company Limited and held on Friday, September 4, 2026, in Dar es Salaam, is part of OTR’s preparations to obtain ISO 9001:2015 certification, an internationally recognised standard for quality management systems.

Opening the training on behalf of the Treasury Registrar, Ms Lightness Mauki, the Director of Performance Management of Commercial entities, said the implementation of QMS would enable OTR to strengthen its work systems, improve efficiency and ensure that its services respond effectively to the needs of stakeholders.

“We want to be recognised internationally for delivering quality services, operating efficiently and meeting the expectations of our stakeholders,” Ms Mauki said.

She said achieving this objective would require the participation of all staff, supported by clear procedures that define how work is carried out, monitored and assessed.

The staff training was preceded by a one-week capacity-building programme for QMS Champions drawn from all OTR departments and units.

The programme equipped them with practical skills in applying quality management principles to their day-to-day work, as well as conducting internal audits of work systems.

The QMS Champions are expected to play an important role in promoting and supporting the implementation of the system across different areas of the institution, helping to ensure that its requirements are well understood and consistently applied.

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VODACOM CUTS CARBON EMISSIONS BY 24% AS NETWORK MODERNISATION REACHES 27.7 MILLION CUSTOMERS

Vodacom Tanzania Plc Network Director, Andrew Lupembe (left), and the company’s Director of External Affairs & Regulatory, Zuweina Farah, speak during the launch of the company’s Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Report for the financial year ended March 2026. The report highlights a 24% reduction in carbon emissions and significant investment in network modernisation.

FY2026 ESG Snapshot shows diesel consumption down by two million litres and energy savings increasing more than six-fold

Dar es Salaam - September 3, 2026: Vodacom Tanzania Plc has released its Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Snapshot for the year ended 31 March 2026, reporting a 24% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions alongside the largest network modernisation programme in the company’s history.

During the year, the company invested TZS 3.5 billion in energy-efficiency initiatives, delivering energy savings of 18,340 megawatt-hours (MWh) — more than six times the 2,861 MWh saved in FY2025.

Scope 1 and 2 market-based emissions fell to 18,445.5 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO₂e), from a restated 24,285.6 tonnes. Diesel consumption also declined by 24%, from 8.6 million litres to 6.6 million litres.

The reductions were driven by a major network modernisation programme that replaced legacy radio equipment across 1,808 sites in just seven months — work equivalent to roughly three years of normal deployment — together with improved grid stability that significantly reduced generator runtime at the company’s data centres.

LESS ENERGY, WIDER REACH

Vodacom Tanzania’s network consumes approximately 169.5 GWh of energy annually across more than 3,800 sites, including 2,190 in rural areas. Base stations account for 78.9% of total energy consumption, making improvements in network equipment efficiency one of the company’s most significant opportunities for reducing its environmental footprint.

During the year, 169 off-grid sites were connected to the national grid.

At the Kwale data centre, a power upgrade from 11kVA to 33kVA reduced generator runtime from 18 hours a day to just two hours, resulting in an 88% reduction in diesel consumption at the site.

The company also credited the Government of Tanzania’s hydropower expansion programme, which reached 75% completion during the year, with contributing materially to improved stability in national power availability.

Renewable sources accounted for 57% of Vodacom Tanzania’s total energy consumption. The company maintained its commitment to matching all purchased grid electricity with renewable energy sources, keeping Scope 2 market-based emissions at zero.

Vodacom Tanzania also renewed its ISO 50001 energy management certification with no non-conformances raised, while Scope 3 emissions declined to 94,944 tCO₂e from 100,455 tCO₂e.

“The environmental gain came from doing the core engineering properly, not from a separate sustainability project,” said Andrew Lupembe, Network Director at Vodacom Tanzania.

“Replacing old equipment across 1,808 sites gives the customer a faster connection and the country two million litres less diesel burned. Those are the same decisions.”

COVERAGE AND CONNECTION

Vodacom Tanzania’s 4G population coverage reached 76.3%, with the network serving 27.7 million customers following the launch of Tanzania’s first 5G service.

Smartphone penetration stood at 46.7%, while 325,415 customers acquired devices through retail financing partnerships. For customers without smartphones, a new AI-assisted service enables access to internet-based information through SMS and voice calls, extending digital assistance to more people, including those in rural areas.

M-Pesa served 14.1 million financial inclusion customers during the year. M-Koba, Vodacom’s digitised savings group platform whose members are predominantly women, reached 299,420 active groups, with total savings increasing by 81%.

The Vodacom Tanzania Foundation reached 2.9 million beneficiaries.

Working with the Tanzania Institute of Education, the company zero-rated the national teacher development platform, enabling 121,832 teachers to access professional development materials without incurring data charges.

Vodacom Tanzania also supported the planting of a further 80,000 indigenous trees in the Kahe 2 Forest on Mount Kilimanjaro.

The company recorded its fourteenth consecutive year without a workplace fatality. Its network modernisation programme involved 411 workers travelling more than 1.7 million kilometres, with the first phase completed without a fatality or major incident.

Vodacom Tanzania also maintained its ISO 27001 certification for information security and recorded zero anti-competition and anti-money laundering fines during the year.

“The numbers in this report tell only part of the story,” said Philip Besiimire, Managing Director of Vodacom Tanzania.

“Behind every connection is a life being changed — a teacher accessing learning materials at no data cost, or a savings group that no longer has to keep cash in a tin. We will continue to hold ourselves accountable to the people of Tanzania who trust us every day.”

Read the Full ESG Report Here

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OTR, ANGLOGOLD ASHANTI SEEK STRONGER LONG-TERM PARTNERSHIP

Dar es Salaam. Treasury Registrar Nehemiah Mchechu has held discussions with representatives of AngloGold Ashanti, a leading global mining company, on strengthening the company’s long-term relationship with the government and advancing cooperation in Tanzania.

The discussions took place on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, when a delegation from AngloGold Ashanti, through its Tanzanian subsidiary, Geita Gold Mining Limited (GGML), paid a courtesy visit to the Office of the Treasury Registrar (OTR) to brief Mr Mchechu on the company’s business developments and interests in the country.

The delegation was led by Ms Lizelle Marwick, Chief Legal Officer of AngloGold Ashanti, and included Ambassador Baso Sangqu, Senior Vice President for Sustainability at AngloGold Ashanti, and Mr Simon Shayo, Vice President for Sustainability and Stakeholder Engagement at Geita Gold Mining Limited (GGML).

Mr Mchechu said OTR, as the government’s shareholder representative, approaches its relationship with companies from the perspective of being a fellow shareholder rather than an opposing party.

“Whatever keeps you away also keeps us away, and whatever brings results brings results for both of us,” he said, underscoring the importance of working together to achieve sustainable business outcomes.

He said OTR works closely with relevant authorities, with the institutions reading from the same page on key issues to ensure consistency and stability for investors.

Mr Mchechu said OTR was committed to building a long-term relationship with AngloGold Ashanti based on mutual understanding, effective corporate governance and a shared interest in ensuring the success of the business.

He also stressed the importance of strengthening corporate governance and ensuring that boards have capable members with a strong understanding of business, enterprise and strategic direction, particularly in companies that contribute taxes and dividends to the Government.

For her part, Ms Marwick said AngloGold Ashanti values its relationships with host governments and appreciates its long-standing engagement with the Tanzanian Government.

She said the company was committed to building a genuine partnership in which both sides contribute their strengths and perspectives for mutual benefit and the wider interests of the country.

Ms Marwick said AngloGold Ashanti was ready to support capacity building for government-appointed directors through governance and induction programmes covering fiduciary responsibilities, board processes and financial literacy.

She also proposed technical exposure visits to Geita Gold Mine to help government directors better understand mining operations, including the technical aspects of resources and reserves.

Ms Marwick described Geita Gold Mine as a flagship asset and said AngloGold Ashanti had remained committed to Tanzania despite legislative changes and challenges associated with COVID-19.

She said the company’s relationship with the government would provide an important stepping stone for its other exploration titles in Tanzania, noting that AngloGold Ashanti could expand more easily where it already had operations, infrastructure and a strong working relationship with the Government.

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