Nomba, a business banking and financial infrastructure platform, has expanded its cross-border payment services from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) into Zambia through licensed local partners, strengthening its ambition to build a Pan-African business banking platform.
The expansion targets the DRC–Zambia trade corridor, a key route for regional commerce, and follows Nomba’s recent fundraising to expand its cross-border payments infrastructure in the DRC.
Economic ties between the two countries continue to strengthen, with Zambia’s goods exports to the DRC reaching $1.6 billion in 2025, an increase of approximately a third from the previous year, according to the Bank of Zambia. Investment in regional transport infrastructure is also creating opportunities for cross-border trade in sectors including agriculture, retail and wholesale distribution.
However, as trade volumes increase, businesses operating along the corridor continue to face challenges transferring money across borders. Payment delays, complex cash management and foreign exchange shortages can tie up working capital, disrupt transactions and constrain business growth.
Nomba’s expanded payment corridor aims to address these challenges by making cross-border transactions more efficient. Building on its existing operations in the DRC, where businesses can collect and make payments in US dollars (USD) and Congolese francs (CDF) through its platform, the company is working with licensed partners in Zambia to enable Congolese businesses to pay Zambian suppliers instantly in CDF and USD through bank accounts or mobile wallets.
Speaking on the expansion, Yinka Adewale, CEO of Nomba, said: “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. We’ve spent the past decade building solutions to address these challenges, and we’re now extending that infrastructure to the heart of Africa along the DRC–Zambia corridor. This is part of our own ambition to build a business banking platform that enables African businesses to trade, scale and compete beyond their home markets. Africa has a significant opportunity to grow its share of global trade, and that starts with making it easier for businesses to trade across the continent.”
Founded in 2016, Nomba has evolved from a payments business into a business banking and financial infrastructure platform, processing more than $70 billion in annualised payments.
As it expands into new markets, the company is targeting monthly cross-border payment volumes exceeding $1 billion. It also plans to raise its next funding round to support its expansion and develop a broader financial platform designed to help African businesses grow.
As the Zambia corridor develops, Nomba intends to deepen its engagement with businesses operating along the route and provide financial services tailored to their needs. Beyond cross-border payments, its longer-term plans include supporting a wider range of business banking services, such as deposits, foreign exchange and credit, as its market presence and partnerships mature.
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