> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.techinsightsafrica.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # EcoCash targets 15,000 new agents as Zimbabwe turns to digital finance for returnees - URL: https://www.techinsightsafrica.com/ecocash-targets-15-000-new-agents-as-zimbabwe-turns-to-digital-finance-for-returnees/ - Published: 2026-08-24T04:22:10.000Z - Updated: 2026-08-24T11:17:37.000Z - Author: Tsaone Segaetsho - Tags: News, FinTech, Technology Tsaone Segaetsho Zimbabwe’s Econet Wireless is planning to appoint 15,000 new EcoCash agents by Christmas, in a major expansion of its mobile-money network aimed at creating income opportunities for citizens returning from South Africa. The initiative follows a directive from Econet founder and Group Chairman Strive Masiyiwa, who has called on the group to identify practical ways of supporting Zimbabweans returning home amid a growing need for employment and economic reintegration. Econet Zimbabwe CEO Douglas Mboweni said the company had held several meetings with Masiyiwa to identify projects that could complement government efforts to support returnees. EcoCash at the centre of the employment push The biggest immediate opportunity is expected to come from EcoCash, Econet's mobile-money platform. Mboweni said the company intends to appoint 15,000 additional agents before Christmas, with each agent potentially supporting at least two jobs. «“Each time we appoint a new agent, that results in at least two jobs. So this is one way we think we can help,” Mboweni said.» That means the proposed agent expansion could support income opportunities for around 30,000 people, although the figure represents direct and indirect opportunities rather than 30,000 new Econet employees. EcoCash agents operate as local access points for mobile financial services, including cash-in, cash-out and payments. The expansion could therefore create opportunities for returnees to establish or operate small businesses while simultaneously extending EcoCash's digital-financial infrastructure across Zimbabwe. Digital finance as an economic platform The plan highlights a broader role for mobile-money platforms in emerging markets: they can function not only as payment systems but also as small-business infrastructure. For Zimbabweans returning from South Africa with experience in retail, sales, construction or other sectors, an agency model could provide a route into self-employment and local commerce. EcoCash already maintains an extensive agent network across Zimbabwe. Its official agent locator provides customers with access to agents by region and area, while the company's services allow customers to deposit money into their wallets through EcoCash agents and other channels. Econet expands beyond mobile money The employment initiative is not limited to digital financial services. Econet is also looking at accelerating construction activity at Econet Tech City, with Mboweni saying the work could create approximately 2,000 short-term jobs as construction is ramped up. The group is additionally considering an expansion of its AgriTech operations, including agricultural initiatives producing fruit for export to China. Mboweni said agriculture was being considered because it can provide employment relatively quickly, with the planned expansion expected to create hundreds of additional opportunities across farming, packing, transport and logistics. Zimbabwe's returnee challenge The private-sector initiative comes as Zimbabwe works to reintegrate a large number of citizens who have returned from South Africa. Government figures reported in July indicated that more than 108,000 Zimbabweans had returned from South Africa, with 15,065 returnees registered across 52 occupations as authorities sought to match skills with employment opportunities. The skills registered include domestic work, construction, bricklaying and farming, creating a potential pool of workers for sectors such as construction and agriculture. For Econet, the response combines telecommunications, digital finance, construction and agriculture rather than relying on traditional corporate hiring alone. What it means for Zimbabwe's digital economy The EcoCash expansion could have implications beyond job creation. Adding 15,000 agents would substantially increase the number of physical access points connecting Zimbabweans to mobile financial services. For communities with limited access to conventional banking infrastructure, agents can provide a local bridge into the digital economy. The initiative also demonstrates how telecom companies are increasingly positioned as financial and economic infrastructure providers, with mobile networks supporting payments, commerce, entrepreneurship and access to financial services. However, the success of the programme will depend on how quickly new agents can be approved and established, as well as the ability of individual outlets to generate sustainable transaction volumes and income. For Zimbabwe's returnees, the immediate opportunity is therefore not simply a job with Econet. It is potentially participation in a wider digital-finance ecosystem, where mobile money, retail commerce and entrepreneurship intersect. As Zimbabwe searches for ways to absorb returning workers, EcoCash's planned 15,000-agent expansion could become one of the country's largest private-sector experiments in using digital financial infrastructure to create livelihoods.