Mastercard and Selcom drive digital payments in Tanzania with launch of innovative mobile app with Qwikrewards cashback feature

Mastercard and Selcom today launched an enhanced mobile application that enables people to centralize all their payment cards, rewards programs and supported mobile banking profiles on one digital platform. They then can choose to activate the desired account to pay at any merchant who accepts Mastercard QR. The app delivers a previously unavailable one-stop solution for all consumer payments in Tanzania, while discovering exciting offers near them in an easy, safe and convenient way.

Trialled last year, the Selcom Mastercard App has now been enhanced with Qwikrewards and Discovery features, which enable businesses to easily offer discounts or cashback to consumers who pay through Mastercard QR. The features are available at 1,000 merchants including Puma, Alcove, Ahlan Restaurant, Cafe Aroma, The Backyard, and Hotpoint Appliances, and will later expand to all merchants who accept Mastercard QR payments across the country.

Qwikrewards provides consumers with a single collection point for all discounts and cashbacks received when paying for goods and services. The rewards can then be redeemed, at the consumers’ convenience, at any of the 50,000+ Mastercard QR locations in the country. For small businesses who offer these rewards in a bid to grow their customer base, this solution enables them to customize their offerings, digitally track their offers and receive electronic payments, all without having to invest in costly hardware.

The Discovery feature on the Selcom Mastercard app adds excitement to the shopping experience in Tanzania. Consumers can now easily identify new offers when they click on the Discovery feature on the app. SMEs and corporates can upload all their offers on the app where people can select from a gallery of promotions, opt to pay, and have the rewards collected in one place.

“Mastercard has been spearheading the transition to digital payments for several years in Tanzania. By partnering with Selcom to incentivize consumers to pay for goods and services using the newly launched Selcom Mastercard app, we are promoting digital and financial inclusion, as well as connecting merchants to a wider customer base to increase the volume of their sales transactions. Mastercard’s QR payments technology is a powerful tool through which consumers can access an enhanced payment experience through the convenience of their mobile phone. Over the coming months, we look forward to further collaboration with our partners to continue delivering relevant solutions that encourage people to transact more seamlessly and efficiently,” said Adam Jones, Country Manager for East Africa, Mastercard.

Developed as a collaboration between the Mastercard Labs for Financial Inclusion and Selcom, the app and the unique rewards program underpin Mastercard’s commitment to ensuring micro, small and medium-sized enterprises have access to affordable payment acceptance solutions, while encouraging consumers to join the digital economy.

In his remarks, Selcom’s Executive Director Sameer Hirji said: “We have deliberately positioned Qwikrewards as an enhancer and motivator for consumers to adopt digital payments and to promote the cashless economy in Tanzania. The most relevant gap that the Selcom Mastercard application addresses is the ability to link a Mastercard debit or credit card, or any other scheme card, to the application to pay at Mastercard QR merchants for free, especially if your bank does not directly support the service. Selcom is known for disruption, and this is one of many services we will be launching in the coming months to make the lives of consumers and merchants better and easier. With the added cashback angle, consumers are likely to increase their use of Mastercard QR.”

Over the past year, Mastercard has launched several digital payment partnerships in Tanzania designed to equip people with the right tools to join the digital economy and pave their own path towards financial security. These partnerships have resulted in a Mastercard QR consumer base of tens of millions and more than 50,000 new merchants accepting QR payments in the country.

The Selcom Mastercard app is available to download in the Google Play and Apple Store.