ClickPesa launches initiative to educate 500 merchants

ClickPesa recently launched an initiative to consult, advise and educate around 500 merchants about using Electronic Payments in their places of business. This initiative is part of the “Electronic Payment Facilitation Dar-es-Salaam” program of ClickPesa.

The program is conducted in areas of Dar es Salaam such as Sinza, Kijitonyama, Magomeni and Mwenge. These areas are known to have prosperous business climate outside the central business district “Posta” with shops, bars, restaurants and hotels. The main goal of the program is to give education on electronic payments and enhance the quality of financial operations among these merchants. At the same time ClickPesa collects data about the state of electronic payments. Most of the businesses in these areas are informal; small and lacking financial knowledge making them eligible for this initiative.

Education & Transaction Data

Through the education ClickPesa provides, merchants will increase their knowledge of electronic payments. Electronic payments lower the cost of cash handling. This means that the merchant doesn’t spend as much traveling to a bank or mobile money agent. With the increase in crime rate, particularly in these areas, this type of payments also reduces the risk of theft both within and outside the store.

Since all transactions are done electronically it automatically allows for better tracking of business records. Many merchants in the program currently struggle with keeping good business records thus making it harder to grow and scale their business. The business records they keep are often not enough to present to financial institutions making it harder for them to procure a loan. This will therefore improve their chances of attaining a loan as it will give financial institutions the ability to assess the creditability of the merchant better. Good business record collection will also allow merchants to better able strategize and plan the path of the business. So far, the program has been successful in its goal of raising financial awareness under merchants.