Tanzania, Sept. 4 -- Dar es Salaam. Tanzania's growing fintech sector needs a new approach to partnerships between startups, banks and mobile network operators if local companies are to scale, industry leaders have said.

The number of active fintech companies in Tanzania has increased more than fivefold, from 33 in 2021 to 171 in 2026, according to the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF).

But despite the rapid growth, fintech founders say partnerships with established financial institutions remain one of the biggest hurdles to commercial expansion.

The issue featured prominently during the Built Here: From Experimentation to Scale - Tanzania's Fintech Journey, 2020-2026 session, which brought together founders, and investor...