Yango taps Flutterwave for cashless taxi, food delivery payments in Zambia

Flutterwave, Africa’s largest payments infrastructure startup, has partnered with Yango, a ride-hailing and food delivery platform, to enable cashless payment options for taxi rides and food delivery orders in Zambia.

The partnership will allow Yango users to pay with bank cards processed through Flutterwave’s payment infrastructure, thereby reducing reliance on cash and improving the convenience of digital payments for customers across the platform.

Yango, owned by UAE-based tech company Yango Group, has been growing its footprint in Zambia’s mobility and food delivery market since its entry in March 2022.

“By integrating our payment infrastructure with Yango’s platform, we’re empowering Zambians with secure, convenient payment options that remove friction from everyday transactions,” Iyembi Nkanza, Country Head at Flutterwave, said. “This is exactly the kind of innovation that drives financial inclusion forward.”

The move comes amid Zambia’s growing e-commerce adoption. In 2024, the country’s e-commerce market generated $120 million in revenue, reflecting a 10-15% growth rate. Rising smartphone penetration rate and steady growth in mobile money usage are changing consumer behaviour in urban centres like Lusaka, as mobile money transactions exceeded K100 billion ($5.3 billion) in March 2025 alone.

The partnership supports Yango’s ambition to move toward a predominantly cashless model in Zambia, as its current cash-heavy operations often face operational risks.

“Partnering with Flutterwave allows us to strengthen our digital payment capabilities while supporting Zambia’s transition toward a more digitally enabled economy,” Kabanda Chewe, Yango Zambia Country Head, said.

Yango faces competition from Bolt and Uber in Zambia, both of which have invested heavily in digital payment options. By improving its payment stack, Yango positions itself more competitively in a market where users are increasingly chasing convenience. The company says it will continue expanding partnerships and rolling out new features to improve customer experience.

“At Yango, we are focused on making our service delivery more convenient, secure, and accessible for our customers and restaurant partners,” Chewe added.