• Zambia rolls out mobile money payments across all NRFA-operated toll gates.

• The reform aims to reduce congestion, improve efficiency and enhance revenue collection.

• Mobile money transactions in Zambia exceeded 100 billion kwacha ($5.2 billion) in March 2025.

The National Road Fund Agency (NRFA) has introduced a mobile money payment system across all toll gates it operates nationwide. The reform aims to modernize fee collection, reduce congestion at toll plazas and improve operational efficiency.

The agency presented the initiative on Sunday, April 12, through its public relations officer, Alphonsius Hamachila. The rollout forms part of a broader digital transformation strategy within the NRFA.

The new system operates alongside existing payment methods, including cash and the E-Toll electronic card, offering motorists three payment options. According to the NRFA, the system enables faster, more secure transactions and reduces reliance on cash handling, while improving traffic flow at toll points.

In practice, drivers complete payments directly via mobile phones. Toll agents enter the user’s phone number, and the system confirms the transaction instantly on the driver’s device.

However, the agency stated that the solution will not apply to toll gates operated under public-private partnerships (PPP), which maintain their own management systems.

The reform comes as mobile money usage accelerates in Zambia. According to the Bank of Zambia, the sector reached a record milestone, with transactions exceeding 100 billion kwacha (about $5.2 billion) in March 2025, marking the highest monthly level ever recorded.

By integrating mobile money into toll management, authorities aim to improve the collection of revenues used to maintain and modernize the national road network. The system should also reduce risks linked to cash handling and strengthen transaction transparency.

Samira Njoya