By Fanuel Chinowaita
HARARE – NetOne’s mobile financial services platform, OneMoney, is broadening access to formal banking services across Zimbabwe while creating employment opportunities and making financial transactions more convenient through an expanding nationwide distribution network.
The mobile money platform has partnered with six financial institutions – AFC Commercial Bank, POSB, NBS Bank, BancABC, FBC Bank and Crown Bank – to offer seamless Bank-to-Wallet and Wallet-to-Bank services, allowing customers to move funds easily between bank accounts and mobile wallets.
According to NetOne, the initiative is helping bridge the gap between traditional banking and digital financial services, particularly in rural and previously underserved communities.
POSB operates 45 branches across the country, while AFC Commercial Bank contributes a further 34 branches, bringing the total number of participating branches to 79. These branches serve as critical access points for customers seeking digital financial services.
The company has also deployed hundreds of Point-of-Sale (POS) machines at retail outlets and service providers nationwide, enabling customers to make payments directly from their OneMoney wallets. In addition, NetOne shops located in districts throughout Zimbabwe provide services such as cash deposits, school fee payments and selected banking transactions.
This extensive network means customers can access financial services closer to where they live and work. Urban residents can make payments using POS terminals in supermarkets and retail outlets, while rural customers can access services through nearby bank branches, agents and NetOne shops.
OneMoney Head of Sales and Marketing, Tracy Madziwa, said the platform is playing a key role in both financial inclusion and economic empowerment.
“This initiative is not just about transactions—it’s about empowering communities. Every branch we connect and every agent we onboard creates economic opportunities at the local level. Our extensive distribution network ensures that more Zimbabweans can access formal financial services while also earning income through the ecosystem,” she said.
NetOne said the growth of its service network has resulted in increased employment opportunities for agents, transaction facilitators and financial service personnel. Agents earn commissions through services such as cash deposits, withdrawals, bill payments and money transfers.
The introduction of agent interoperability has further expanded access. POSB and AFC agents are now able to offer OneMoney services, while OneMoney agents can facilitate selected transactions linked to the partner banks. The arrangement has significantly increased the number of service points available to customers.
General Manager for NetOne Financial Services and Acting Chief Commercial Officer, Joseph Machiva, said the company’s objective is to ensure that financial services are accessible to every Zimbabwean.
“Our mission is clear: financial inclusion for all. By combining the credibility and reach of established banking institutions with the flexibility of mobile money services, we are removing many of the barriers that have traditionally limited access to banking. As the ecosystem continues to grow, so do opportunities for employment and economic participation,” he said.
The platform is also benefiting small businesses, informal traders and farmers by reducing reliance on cash and simplifying transactions. Vendors can receive digital payments directly into their wallets, while traders can transfer funds between bank accounts and mobile wallets instantly.
Families receiving remittances are also benefiting from the expanded network, which allows recipients to access funds through nearby branches, agents and NetOne service centres rather than travelling long distances to banking halls.
Head of Operations for NetOne Financial Services, Edmore Makanha, said the integration of banking and mobile money services is improving convenience for customers.
“With Bank-to-Wallet capabilities and a broad distribution network, customers can access financial services without unnecessary travel or long queues. Whether it is funding a wallet, receiving money or making payments, services are now available much closer to communities,” he said.
To ensure uninterrupted service delivery, OneMoney has also implemented a float rebalancing framework involving POSB and AFC as Super Agents, helping maintain liquidity across service points, including those in remote areas.
As demand for digital financial services continues to grow, NetOne says it plans to onboard additional banking partners and further expand its agent network, strengthening financial inclusion and creating more economic opportunities across Zimbabwe.