Technology Leadership
Emmanuel Mathias
Mrimi
Technology Strategist
Strategic and collaborative technology leader with over a decade of experience driving innovation in financial technology across East Africa. Proven track record in product management, system architecture, and cross-functional leadership.
About Me
Strategic Technology Leader
Strategic and collaborative technology leader with over a decade of experience driving innovation in financial technology across East Africa. Proven track record in product management, system architecture, and cross-functional leadership — from solution design through to scaled delivery.
Skilled in stakeholder engagement, microservices architecture, regulatory compliance, and building high-performing teams. My approach combines technical expertise with business acumen to deliver measurable results across multiple markets in the East African fintech landscape.
Professional Journey
Career Timeline
A visual story of professional growth, skill development, and technology leadership spanning over a decade
Skill Evolution Journey
Technical Foundation
Product Specialization
Product Leadership
Strategic Innovation
Head of IT and Product
Leading product innovation initiatives and managing IT operations for enhanced business outcomes
Product and Business Development Manager
Combining product management expertise with business development to identify and capture new market opportunities
Product Manager
End-to-end product lifecycle management with focus on customer satisfaction and market adoption
Product Specialist
Specialized product development and technical solution implementation for consumer and business markets
Solutions Architect
Technical architecture design and comprehensive project coordination from requirements to deployment
BSc in Computer Science
Foundation in computer science principles, software engineering, and system design
Career Progression Summary
From Solutions Architect to Head of IT and Product, this journey represents continuous growth in technical expertise, leadership capabilities, and strategic business impact across the fintech and telecom industries.
Professional Journey
Experience & Expertise
Over a decade of transforming businesses through strategic technology leadership and product innovation
Leading end-to-end product lifecycle across AzamPesa's and AzamPay's core and emerging financial products, expanding into Kenya, Rwanda, Malawi, and Zambia
Key Achievements:
- Spearheaded multi-market launch of Azam TV and Azam Max in-app payments across Malawi, Kenya, and Zambia, expanding the digital subscription payment footprint into three new African markets
- Led end-to-end delivery of a government payment solution via the Tanzania Instant Payment System (TIPS), enabling customers to transact with public institutions through national real-time rails
- Delivered the AzamPesa VISA Virtual Card, a first-of-its-kind offering giving customers a globally accepted digital payment instrument
- Launched 'Pay Like a Local,' a VISA-powered Account Funding Transaction (AFT) product enabling international visitors and diaspora to spend in local currency at local rates
- Drove the launch of an International Money Transfer (remittance) product and a Group Savings (Vikoba-style) product bringing community savings onto a formal digital platform
Leading product innovation and IT operations across the AzamPesa platform, driving architecture, security, and regulatory compliance
Key Achievements:
- Designed a microservices architecture leveraging Kubernetes for container orchestration, improving system resilience and reducing deployment time from weeks to hours
- Directed a capacity expansion program to scale platform architecture for higher transaction-per-second (TPS) throughput without degradation in availability
- Collaborated across engineering, operations, legal, and compliance teams to drive the organization's ISO/IEC 27001 certification program
- Drove end-to-end implementation of Anti-Money Laundering (AML) controls in alignment with Bank of Tanzania regulatory requirements
- Launched the TUKUZA bill payment service and led migration to a direct ZECO connection for Zanzibar Electricity, improving reliability of the utility payment value chain
Combining product management expertise with business development to identify and capture new market opportunities
Key Achievements:
- Launched the biller aggregation service with AzamPay, redesigning the architecture and centralizing the biller service
- Coordinated the onboarding of multiple billers and merchants onto the AzamPay Gateway, expanding payment categories available to end customers
- Launched self-registration via AzamPesa as an alternative to the freelancer/foot-soldier app registration channel
- Pioneered AzamPesa's inaugural integration with Tanzania's national Instant Payment System (TIPS), positioning AzamPesa as a regulated participant on national payment infrastructure
End-to-end product lifecycle management with focus on customer satisfaction and market adoption
Key Achievements:
- Led the foundational launch of AzamPesa, establishing the core mobile financial services platform that underpinned all subsequent product lines
- Launched and scaled an end-to-end e-commerce payment service (Sarafu) for retail businesses, driving adoption and financial inclusion
- Launched the AzamPay Payment Gateway and led acquisition of multiple billers and merchants, establishing AzamPay as a credible aggregation and processing layer for Tanzania's digital payments ecosystem
- Built strong relationships with cross-functional teams across business, marketing, sales, support, and engineering to deliver products that meet customer needs
Specialized product development and technical solution implementation for consumer and business markets
Key Achievements:
- Led delivery of the network bypass number blocking solution integrated with the Unified Network Management System (U2000) and TCRA systems, enhancing network security and regulatory compliance
- Defined and delivered the self-service Upselling Portal, enabling customers to purchase mobile data bundles online and driving data revenue growth
- Directed the successful migration to the new TELEPIN Tigo Pesa platform, ensuring seamless mobile money service continuity
- Delivered the Postpaid Bill Payment solution through the Hybrid Tigocare platform and led the redesign and modernization of the Tigo website
Technical architecture design and comprehensive project coordination from requirements to deployment
Key Achievements:
- Managed the Mobile Device Platform project, enabling handset sales and captive portal capabilities to support device financing and digital service activation
- Delivered the SIM Swap solution for Customer Care and Call Centre operations, improving turnaround time while maintaining secure identity verification
- Served as a key product team member delivering the Hybrid Tigo Care CRM platform supporting prepaid, hybrid, and postpaid subscribers, launched June 2014
- Led the implementation of the Device Management System (DMS) Over-the-Air (OTA) platform, enabling remote device configuration, updates, and provisioning
Portfolio
Featured Projects
A showcase of innovative technology solutions I've architected and delivered across fintech, eCommerce, telecom infrastructure, and enterprise systems.
Comprehensive mobile money platform supporting iOS, Android, and KaiOS with full-service financial capabilities including money transfers, bill payments, merchant payments, QR codes, and bank transfers.
Key Features:
- Multi-platform mobile applications (iOS, Android, KaiOS)
- Money withdrawal and transfer services
- Bill payment integration with 50+ service providers
Robust payment processing gateway offering comprehensive bill payment and checkout services integrated with multiple mobile money providers and banks across Tanzania.
Key Features:
- Multi-provider integration (Tigo Pesa, Airtel Money, M-Pesa, Zantel, HaloPesa)
- Banking integration (CRDB, NMB)
- Merchant services for major brands (AzamTV, Sarafu, AzamFerries)
Comprehensive eCommerce platform enabling seamless online shopping experience with integrated payment solutions, inventory management, and multi-vendor marketplace capabilities across Tanzania.
Key Features:
- Multi-vendor marketplace with vendor onboarding system
- Integrated payment gateway with multiple payment options
- Real-time inventory management and order tracking
Led requirement gathering and coordinated implementation of a Middleware ESB to streamline integrations across telecom and financial platforms, ensuring high availability, scalability, and standardization of APIs.
Key Features:
- Enterprise Service Bus (ESB) architecture implementation
- API standardization across 15+ internal systems
- High availability design with 99.95% uptime target
Supported end-to-end launch of a new Mobile Money Core System, migrating from Comviva to Telepin platform. Managed vendor coordination, UAT planning, and production cutover with zero downtime.
Key Features:
- Complete core system migration from Comviva to Telepin
- Zero-downtime cutover strategy implementation
- Comprehensive UAT planning and execution
Telecom & Infrastructure Projects
Led implementation of unified customer care platform enabling management of prepaid, postpaid, and hybrid subscriber lifecycles including SIM swap, provisioning, plan conversion, and VAS management.
Oversaw deployment of SIMbox fraud detection and bypass blocking system integrated with TCRA systems to report suspected bypass numbers in real-time, significantly reducing fraudulent activities.
Participated in migration of Online Charging System (OCS) to new CBS platform, supporting charging logic testing, service mapping, and stakeholder alignment for seamless billing operations.
Implemented OTA-based Device Management System for automatic device detection, internet configuration, and manual OTA triggers, enhancing customer onboarding experience.
Additional Technical Contributions
Throughout my career, I have also contributed to Data Package & Captive Portal Management, PCRF to CBS/OCS Migration projects, Targeted Sales System implementations, and various other telecom infrastructure initiatives. These projects have collectively enhanced system reliability, improved customer experience, and driven operational efficiency across multiple technology domains.
Core Competencies
Skills & Expertise
Comprehensive skill set spanning product management, technical leadership, and strategic business development
Qualifications
Education & Certifications
BSc in Computer Science
University of Dar Es Salaam
- Agile Software Development
- ITIL Foundation
- Project Management Skills for Leaders
Professional Network
References Available
Professional references from colleagues, supervisors, and business partners are available upon request. I maintain strong relationships with industry leaders who can speak to my technical expertise and leadership capabilities.
Professional References
Senior Leadership References
Former supervisors and executives who can speak to my strategic leadership and business impact
Peer Collaborations
Colleagues and team members who have worked directly with me on complex projects
Client & Stakeholder References
Business partners and stakeholders who can attest to my client relationship management
Request References
Professional references are provided upon request to serious inquiries. Please specify the type of reference needed and the context for your request.
Working Steps
3 easy steps to get started!
Book Consultation
Schedule a convenient time to discuss your needs and objectives
Strategy Session
We analyze your challenges and develop a tailored technology strategy
Implementation
Execute the plan with clear milestones and measurable outcomes
What I Can Help You With:
- Technology Leadership & Strategic Planning
- Product Development & Innovation Management
- System Architecture & Design
- FinTech Solutions & Payment System Integration
- Team Building & Agile Transformation
- Business Process Optimization & Automation
- Professional References & Recommendations