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Viyona Fintech, an NPCI-certified Technology Service Provider (TSP) has announced plans to expand its payment technology into African markets through its Viyona Tap & Pay platform with Zimbabwe identified as its initial entry point for sub-Saharan Africa. The company said it is in discussions with the Government of Zimbabwe to support the proposed rollout.
The planned expansion centres on Viyona Tap & Pay, an NFC-based SoftPOS solution designed to turn compatible Android smartphones into contactless payment terminals. The technology aims to reduce the need for dedicated point-of-sale (POS) devices, potentially lowering upfront equipment costs for small businesses and micro-merchants.
Viyona is positioning its entry alongside Zimbabwe’s ongoing discussions with NPCI International Payments Ltd (NIPL) regarding the potential licensing of India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) technology as a national payment rail. The company aims to provide merchant acceptance infrastructure that could support the wider adoption of digital payments.
Zimbabwe Identified as Initial Market for SoftPOS Rollout
For its initial African deployment, Viyona has identified local acquiring banks, payment service providers (PSPs) and merchant networks in Zimbabwe as potential integration partners. These partnerships would be important for connecting merchants to payment infrastructure and supporting local market adoption.
“Our focus is providing scalable digital infrastructure that reduces capital expenditure for merchants,” said Ravindranath Yarlagadda, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Viyona Fintech. He added that Zimbabwe’s growing digital payments activity makes it a potential testing ground for Tap & Pay before the company considers broader regional expansion.
The company cited electronic payment transactions exceeding ZiG 200 billion per month in Zimbabwe as an indicator of the market’s digital payment activity. However, the proposed rollout remains subject to discussions, payment network certifications and applicable regulatory clearances.
Africa’s Digital Payments Market Presents Growth Opportunities
Viyona’s expansion plans target a growing digital payments ecosystem across Africa. According to AfricaNenda’s State of Inclusive Instant Payment Systems in Africa 2025 report, instant payment systems across the continent processed approximately $2 trillion in transaction value through 64 billion transactions in 2024.
The report also identified 36 live instant payment systems across 31 African countries as of June 2025. These figures highlight the scale of the region’s instant payments infrastructure and the potential for technologies that make digital payment acceptance more accessible to merchants.
As more markets explore interoperable payment systems and digital financial infrastructure, merchant acceptance remains an important part of adoption. Payment networks can facilitate the movement of funds, but businesses also need accessible tools to receive digital payments from customers.
Smartphone-Based Payments Aim to Reduce Merchant Costs
Viyona said its experience as an NPCI-certified technology partner includes developing and scaling platforms compatible with UPI-based payment infrastructure. The company aims to offer central banks, acquiring banks and local PSPs merchant acceptance technology that can integrate with relevant payment systems.
While national payment switches handle transaction routing and clearing, SoftPOS technology focuses on the point where customers make payments to merchants. By enabling compatible smartphones to function as contactless terminals, Viyona Tap & Pay aims to reduce dependence on dedicated POS hardware, particularly for smaller businesses.
The company said the commercial rollout of Viyona Tap & Pay across India and selected African markets will follow the required payment network certifications and regional regulatory approvals. The timing and scale of the expansion will therefore depend on the completion of these requirements and the development of local partnerships.
