The National Bank of Rwanda has suspended the operations of MobiCash Rwanda Ltd for a period of three months, citing breaches of laws and regulations governing payment service providers.
The suspension took effect on January 23, 2026, according to the central bank, which said the decision followed repeated operational deficiencies and non-compliance with regulatory requirements.
During the suspension period, MobiCash is prohibited from offering payment services or handling customers’ funds. However, the National Bank of Rwanda assured the public that all existing customers will retain full access to their money and will be able to withdraw their funds under the regulator’s supervision to ensure consumer protection.
The central bank advised customers to migrate to alternative payment service providers previously supported by MobiCash.
MobiCash is a digital payment platform that has been widely used in Rwanda, particularly for payments related to government and private services. The platform gained prominence through its partnership with Irembo, enabling users to pay for services such as passports, birth certificates, and other administrative fees.
To access the service, users registered using their mobile phone numbers on MTN and Airtel networks, mainly through a USSD platform. Payments were completed by selecting the desired service, entering the service identification code, and confirming the transaction with a personal identification number.
Despite its popularity, MobiCash has faced recurring technical challenges, including system failures that occasionally prevented users from receiving transaction confirmation messages, leading to financial losses and eroding public confidence in the platform.
MobiCash was founded by Patrick Gordon Ngabonzima, who developed the technology in 2007.
