Runyararo Nyandoro,Head of Digital Lending and Savings  manager delivered compelling insights on financial inclusion and digital access in Zimbabwe at the ongoing TechnoMag Tech Fora, highlighting both progress and persisting challenges in the fintech space.

“We are a country of about 16 million people with 16.1 million mobile subscriptions,” he said. “That means from a mobile penetration point of view, every single person has a line for a mobile phone — a key driver of financial inclusion.”

Nyandoro praised the success of the National Financial Inclusion Strategy, noting that 90% of adults now have access to transactional services. However, he warned that true inclusion goes beyond transactions. “About 61% of adults are excluded from credit and 64% from savings,” he said, urging players to expand access to broader financial services.

He also called for a review of digital transaction costs, especially the IMTT tax, which he said continues to burden consumers. “We need to look at how we can reduce the cost of peer-to-peer transactions, particularly for underserved communities,” he added.

While commending the regulator for enabling mobile money interoperability, Nyandoro pointed out inefficiencies within the agent network. “You can send money across different wallets, but you can’t always cash out everywhere,” he said. “We need shared agent networks to avoid duplication and reduce costs.”

His remarks captured a powerful message — that affordability, collaboration, and inclusivity remain central to achieving full digital and financial inclusion in Zimbabwe.