SIMO Rede leaves users without access to funds amid social and political turmoil in Mozambique
As Mozambique grapples with an escalating social and political crisis marked by widespread protests and road blockages, the country’s financial infrastructure has also faltered. The Sociedade Interbancária de Moçambique (SIMO Rede), which manages interbank transactions, has experienced system failures that have left thousands of users unable to access their money. The disruptions have specifically impacted money transfers between banks and mobile wallets such as Mpesa, Emola, and Mkesh—services that have become lifelines for many amid the unrest.
The outages, reported since yesterday, come at a time when reliance on mobile wallets is surging due to limited access to ATMs and the logistical challenges posed by road closures. The inability to make transfers has compounded the hardships of thousands of users already navigating a volatile socio-political landscape.
Commercial banks have confirmed the technical issues, citing a sharp increase in customer complaints through in-person visits and helplines. While other SIMO Rede services remain operational, the disruption to mobile wallet transfers has sparked widespread frustration. These platforms are crucial for day-to-day transactions, particularly for informal sector workers and families relying on digital payments for their livelihoods.
This is not the first time SIMO Rede has faced technical difficulties. Similar outages earlier this year disrupted cash withdrawals and financial transactions nationwide. At the time, SIMO Rede's executive administrator, Raimundo Matwhassa, attributed the issues to technological challenges and urged commercial banks to upgrade their systems for better compatibility.
The recurring disruptions have already drawn criticism from the Confederação das Associações Económicas de Moçambique (CTA), which previously called for the suspension of the national electronic payment network. The CTA argued that these failures were inflicting severe financial losses across sectors such as hospitality and retail, which depend on seamless electronic payment systems.
Efforts to obtain comments from SIMO Rede and the Mozambican Banking Association have so far been unsuccessful.
