UnionPay and Pesapal Expand Card Acceptance Across East Africa

The integration allows international visitors to use both contact and contactless payment methods across a wide range of sectors, including hospitality, retail, and petroleum. By embedding UnionPay into Pesapal’s EMV-compliant POS network, local businesses can process transactions from one of the world’s largest cardholder bases without traditional friction.

Bupe Mwakalundwa, Country Manager at Pesapal Tanzania, noted that the move equips local merchants with the financial tools necessary to serve global travelers more effectively. Feng Chen, General Manager of UnionPay International Africa, added that the collaboration is designed to secure a more seamless experience for visitors while opening new revenue streams for small and medium-sized enterprises in the region. This expansion reflects the broader strengthening of commercial ties between East Africa and international markets, specifically targeting the surge in Chinese tourism and business travel.