Nomba Extends Cross-Border Payments from DRC to Zambia

Nigerian fintech Nomba has extended its cross-border payments service from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) into Zambia, allowing Congolese businesses to pay Zambian suppliers instantly through local banking and mobile money partners.

The expansion gives businesses operating in the DRC access to payments in US dollars and Congolese francs, with funds sent to suppliers in Zambia arriving directly in bank accounts or mobile wallets.

Founded in 2016 by Yinka Adewale and Pelumi Aboluwarin, Nomba was previously known as Kudi before expanding into an omnichannel payments and business banking platform. The company now processes more than US$480 million in monthly transactions across its DRC operations and Canadian-licensed money service business.

In September 2026, Nomba secured a US$3 million debt facility to expand its cross-border payments business, with a target of increasing monthly transaction volumes to US$1 billion. The DRC–Zambia corridor is part of that expansion strategy.

Zambia DRC Trade Drives Demand

The new service targets a major regional trade route. According to the Bank of Zambia, Zambia's goods exports to the DRC reached US$1.6 billion in 2025, an increase of approximately one-third from the previous year.

Businesses trading between the two countries, particularly in agriculture, retail and wholesale, face payment delays, foreign exchange constraints and the cost of managing cash across borders. These challenges can leave working capital tied up while businesses wait for suppliers to receive funds.

Nomba is using licensed local partners to connect its platform to Zambian bank accounts and mobile wallets. The service allows businesses in the DRC to make supplier payments in US dollars or Congolese francs, with funds delivered instantly.

“The ambition to grow intra-African trade has outpaced the financial infrastructure needed to support it. Many of the continent’s busiest trade corridors remain underserved by payment solutions that help businesses move money efficiently and scale,” said Adewale.

He said the company had spent the past decade developing payment infrastructure for businesses and was now extending its services along the DRC–Zambia corridor.

Nomba aims to build a business banking platform that allows African companies to trade and operate beyond their domestic markets without facing the same payment barriers.

Nomba Plans Further Expansion

The fintech plans to raise another funding round to support its expansion. It also intends to introduce additional financial services for businesses using the corridor, including deposits, foreign exchange and credit.

These services would extend Nomba's offering beyond supplier payments, giving businesses access to more of the financial tools they need to manage cross-border trade.

Nomba raised US$30 million in a pre-Series B funding round in 2023. Its latest expansion builds on its existing DRC operations, where businesses can collect and make payments in both US dollars and Congolese francs.