…adoption sees Maris user numbers exceed 500,000
MTC Maris has signed an agreement with Kazang to expand the reach of its mobile money services across Namibia, targeting underserved and hard-to-reach communities.
The partnership will leverage Kazang’s national footprint of more than 5,500 agents, giving Maris immediate access to high-density urban areas, informal settlements and remote rural communities.
MTC Maris Executive Director Kayembe Ilunga said the agreement represents a significant step towards the platform’s goal of achieving universal financial inclusion.
“Through this partnership, we will drive and accelerate our core mandate of ensuring that every Namibian, regardless of location or economic status, can access essential financial services through a trusted local agent,” Ilunga said.
He said Kazang’s established distribution network would reduce travel time and costs for customers who need cash-in, cash-out and wallet services, while ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements.
“Kazang has vast established distribution points, allowing us to deepen financial inclusion by reducing travel time and cost for customers needing cash-in, cash-out or wallet services,” Ilunga said.
“It enables us to provide secure and regulated e-money channels that are aligned with Namibia’s anti-money laundering framework and the requirements of the Bank of Namibia.”
Ilunga said uptake of the Maris platform has continued to grow since its launch, with more than 500,000 customers registered since January 2026.
While describing the Kazang partnership as a major milestone, he said further work remains to strengthen the platform as its footprint expands.
“We continue to mature our operational, technical and agent-support capabilities, ensuring that as the network grows, service quality grows with it,” Ilunga said. “We are investing in field support, training, compliance and customer-centred offerings.”
He said the agreement supports Maris’s broader objective of building an inclusive digital payments ecosystem across the country.
“With this agreement, we are decisively building a financial ecosystem where every Namibian household can access digital payments, remittances and e-money services safely and conveniently, from Katima Mulilo to Opuwo, from urban taxi ranks to the most remote rural communities,” Ilunga said.
Kazang Namibia is a leading distributor of value-added services, with vendors providing prepaid product.
