Nomba Expands Payment Service Into Zambian Market
Congolese businesses gain a new digital rail for paying Zambian suppliers, replacing slower, cash-heavy payment methods.
Updated on Oct. 21, 2026 in International Trade
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Will expanded cross-border payment services make it easier for small businesses to trade across Africa?
Nigeria-based business banking platform Nomba has expanded its payment services into Zambia, allowing Congolese businesses to pay Zambian suppliers in U.S. dollars or Congolese francs. The service aims to streamline cross-border trade between the two nations, where current infrastructure often relies on slow, cash-heavy processes.
Why it matters
Business operators frequently struggle with friction in cross-border payments between Congo and Zambia, where inefficient financial infrastructure historically leads to payment delays. Nomba attempts to solve this by providing instant settlement to accounts and wallets, addressing the challenges of managing trade in a region with growing exchange volume.
Nomba manages over $70 billion in annual payments, targeting $1 billion in monthly cross-border volume following an expansion into a trade corridor that saw $1.6 billion in Zambian goods exported to Congo in 2025.
The players
Nomba
A Nigeria-based business banking and payments platform that processes over $70 billion in transactions annually.
The details
Congolese buyers initiate payments through Nomba's existing platform, which now routes funds to Zambian suppliers via licensed local partners. The system settles directly into bank accounts or mobile wallets, removing the need for physical cash handoffs. This current iteration is one-directional, facilitating only outbound payments from Congo to Zambia.
Timeline
2016: Nomba was founded as a payments company.
2025: Zambia goods exports to Congo reached $1.6 billion.
October 21, 2026: Nomba announced the expansion into Zambia.
Market Landscape
Nomba's entry reflects a broader effort to modernize financial corridors experiencing rising trade volume between Congo and Zambia. This move targets infrastructure gaps where cash reliance and settlement delays continue to inhibit faster business-to-business commerce.
Operators managing supply chains between Congo and Zambia should monitor whether this digital rail reduces their existing cash-handling or manual reconciliation costs. Businesses with regional operations should also watch for Nomba's planned introduction of future foreign exchange and credit services.
The takeaway
Reliable cross-border payment rails are essential for scaling regional procurement, especially where existing banking infrastructure is slow or fragmented. Operators should track the platform's ability to maintain liquidity in U.S. dollars and Congolese francs to determine if it meets their specific supplier payment needs.
Further reading
For broader trends in regional payment infrastructure, explore our International Trade section.
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Will expanded cross-border payment services make it easier for small businesses to trade across Africa?
