FRANCOPHONE AFRICA | Nigerian Fintech, Nomba, Enters the Remittance Space in the DRC

BitKE · 2026-03-07T11:46:50+00:00

Nomba, a Nigerian fintech, is entering the DRC with a remittance-focused model, addressing financial exclusion amid a highly dollarized banking sector. By recruiting local agents and ensuring regulatory compliance, Nomba seeks to build trust and infrastructure for future digital banking services, despite competition and challenges in trust and liquidity.

BitKE

2026-03-07 11:46:50

Abstract generation in progress

Nigerian fintech, Nomba**,** is making its entry into the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) by launching a remittance-first business model, having quietly built operations there during the past year.

According to Henry Bankole, Nomba’s country manager in the DRC, the company is tapping into high-volume remittance corridors – especially from China and Dubai – and is recruiting local cash agents in Kinshasa and beyond to manage inflows.

More than 80% of the Congolese population reportedly does not have a bank account, highlighting deep financial exclusion in the country.
The DRC’s banking sector is highly dollarized, with over 90% of deposits and loans denominated in U.S. dollars, while its 18 banks hold just $15 billion in total deposits.
Meanwhile, mobile-money operators Vodacom, Orange, and Airtel jointly operate over 24 million wallets, but many users cash out immediately after receiving funds, restricting the utility of these wallets.

Nomba believes that starting with remittances gives it a strong “on-ramp” to build trust and infrastructure for broader digital banking services.

“Remittances are where money already flows … By starting there, we can quickly earn transactional trust and build the rails we need for payments and credit,” Bankole said.

The fintech’s long-term plan is to layer in payments and credit, using the same agent network it builds for its remittance business.

Regulatory compliance is central to Nomba’s DRC strategy:

It is aligning with the Central Bank of the DRC (BCC)
Adhering to local AML (anti-money-laundering) regulations, and
Implementing strict KYC (know-your-customer) and transaction-monitoring protocols.

But Nomba faces steep challenges, particularly trust – many Congolese still favor in-person interaction over fully digital onboarding – and liquidity problems related to managing agent cash float and slow bank settlement times.

Nomba’s expansion comes in a competitive market: in 2024, the four major mobile money providers in the DRC (Vodacom, Orange, Airtel, and Africell) generated a combined revenue of $ 174.2 million.

Despite the competition, Nomba sees the remittance space as a relatively under-served “blue ocean” and aims to differentiate through superior product experience for both agents and end users.

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