Cellulant is driving digital transformation in Zambia’s utility sector by enabling seamless and efficient payment processes for a range of utility companies, including those providing water and power services, facilitating a smoother experience for their customers.
Pay-as-you-go mobile utility bill payments have been used in the energy, water, and sanitation sectors due to mobile money ecosystems’ expansion and global complexity. Utility service providers and end users gain from mobile utility bill payments because they increase payment transparency, reduce leakage, lower operating costs, and open up opportunities for financial inclusion. Additionally, they support mobile operators by increasing the adoption of mobile money frequency, average transaction value, and transaction frequency.
According to the company,it’s innovative digital payment solutions enables customers of these utility companies to pay their bills from the comfort of their homes, offices or on the go, using their mobile phones, tablets or computers. This has significantly reduced the need for customers to visit physical payment outlets, saving them time and effort.
In addition to addressing long-standing sector issues like water losses and financial stability, technological advancements are giving utility managers new tools to confront the upcoming problems of growing urbanisation and climate change. The way utilities and customers engage is changing due to digital payment alternatives. While IoT devices have created new opportunities to monitor services and automate procedures, mobile money is revolutionising revenue collection. Enterprise resource planning (ERP) tools and digital platforms are enabling more efficient utility administration and laying the groundwork for the digitalisation of utility operations.
In 2022, Cellulant partnered with 5 water utility companies in Zambia to allow customers in the provinces to pay their water bills conveniently and selected bank accounts with their preferred mobile money. With over 300,000 customers, Nkana Water, Kafubu Water, Mulonga Water, Chambeshi Water and Western Water are now offering better payment services for their customers and are experiencing exponential growth in digital payments. Cellulant has also been powering digital payments for Zesco, the national power utility of Zambia, to ensure that its customers can make payments seamlessly from anywhere in Zambia. The company’s digital payments platform provides real-time data analytics and reporting, enabling companies to make informed decisions about their payment processes and improve their cash flow management.
