How collection works
Mobile money for government payments
Short answer
- Countries with mobile money P2G, 2019
- 46 (25 Sub-Saharan Africa, 10 Asia, 8 Latin America, 3 Middle East and North Africa) 1
- Most common use
- Utilities, in 45 countries, then taxes in 29 1
- Tanzania
- Mobile operators listed as GePG payment channels 2
- Uganda
- Mobile money for payments below 3 million, notice of 19 April 2023 4
- Rwanda, early 2020
- Mobile money was 55 percent of online IremboGov payments 1
What person-to-government payments are
The GSMA report defines person-to-government (P2G) payments as "any payment from an individual or a business (payer) to a public entity (payee)" 1. It counts taxes, public service fees and utility bills, and treats water, electricity and gas utilities as government owned 1.
In its 2019 study, utilities were the most common category, in 45 countries. Taxes were found in 29 countries and education in 28 1. The report puts the savings from digitising P2G payments at about 0.2 to 0.3 percent of GDP a year in developing countries 1.
How a mobile money payment reaches the government
Tanzania's GePG FAQ lists mobile operators including M-Pesa, Tigopesa, Airtel Money, Eazy Pesa and T-Pesa as payment channels 2. The GePG guide tells the payer to dial the operator's USSD code, choose bill payment and then government payments, and enter the control number, amount and PIN 3.
The first edition of the guide said mobile money then worked only for public bodies with a Tanzania shilling collection account at NMB, and that other banks would be added later 3. This was the position in version 1.0 of the guide, posted in January 2020 3.
In Uganda, the payer registers the payment on the URA portal and can choose mobile money as the payment mode 4,5.
Refunds when the wrong amount is paid
Country figures reported by GSMA
| Country | System or service | Figure | Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rwanda 1 | IremboGov 1 | Mobile money 55 percent of online payments 1 | Early 2020 1 |
| Rwanda 1 | Mobile money agents 1 | 102,181 agents 1 | As given in the 2020 report 1 |
| Cambodia 1 | Ministry of Public Works and Transport 1 | Mobile money about 85 percent of payments 1 | 2019 1 |
| Cambodia 1 | Same ministry 1 | Revenue rose from 60 billion riel to 150 billion riel 1 | 2017 to 2019 1 |
What auditors found
Tanzania's Controller and Auditor General reported on 30 March 2026 that the T-Pesa platform of the Tanzania Telecommunications Corporation was not integrated with commercial banking systems. The report said this limited automated processing and reconciliation 6.
Common questions
Can I pay Tanzanian government bills with M-Pesa?
GePG lists M-Pesa among its mobile payment channels 2.
Is there a limit on paying URA with mobile money?
A 2023 Atomic Energy Council notice says mobile money is an option for payments below 3 million 4.
What if I send the wrong amount by mobile money on GePG?
Ask the operator for a refund. The bank and service provider approve the reversal 2.
How many countries take mobile money for government payments?
GSMA counted 46 in its 2019 study 1.
Rules and charges change. Check the official source linked on this page before you pay or travel. Spotted an error? Email [email protected].
Sources
- GSMA, industry association report: Digitalising person-to-government payments, by Nicolas Fichers and Lamia Naji (October 2020)
- Ministry of Finance, Tanzania: GePG frequently asked questions (accessed 24 October 2026)
- Ministry of Finance and Planning, Tanzania: Mwongozo ya Namna ya Kuandaa Ankara, Kufanya Malipo na Risiti za GePG, guide to preparing GePG bills, making payments and GePG receipts, version 1.0 (undated, posted January 2020)
- Atomic Energy Council, Uganda: Making Payment through the URA Portal (19 April 2023)
- Uganda Revenue Authority: Processes and Systems FAQs (undated)
- National Audit Office of Tanzania: Annual Report of the Controller and Auditor General on the Audit of Information Systems, FY 2024/25 (30 March 2026)
Related
- Control numbers and payment references
How control numbers and payment registration numbers link a government bill to a payment, with Tanzania GePG and Uganda URA rules and audit findings.
- Payment aggregators in government collection
What a payment aggregator is, how regulators license aggregators, how they hold and settle funds and how they link to government gateways.
- Tanzania: the Government Electronic Payment Gateway (GePG)
How Tanzania's GePG works: who runs it, the 2017 legal mandate, how payers use a control number, and what the Controller and Auditor General found.
- Uganda: URA payment registration numbers and the e-Tax portal
How Uganda's PRN system works for taxes and non-tax revenue on the URA portal, how banks and mobile money take payment, the law and audit findings.
- Rwanda: the Irembo government services and payments platform
How Rwanda's Irembo platform works: the 2015 concession, who runs it, how citizens pay, fees, how money reaches the revenue authority, and audit findings.