Citi, Visa, and Cellulant introduced Citi Optimized Pay, a card payment solution, on Wednesday to improve cash flow for Kenyan SMEs.
This innovative platform uses Cellulant’s Tingg payment gateway and helps suppliers overcome major obstacles like late payments and a lack of financing choices.
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Citi improves supply chain efficiency
Citi Optimized Pay aims to streamline supply chain payments by allowing Citi corporate clients to make payments directly from their commercial cards to suppliers.
Suppliers can receive funds via bank transfer or mobile wallet, providing flexibility and speed in payment processing. This solution tackles the issue of lengthy payment cycles, which often range from 60 to 90 days due to corporate policies, thereby improving cash flow management for SMEs.
“We are proud to partner with Citi and Cellulant on this transformative solution,” said Chad Pollock, Vice President and GM, Visa East Africa. “Citi Optimized Pay will enhance supply chain payment efficiency and provide businesses with reliable cash flow solutions, aligning with Visa’s mission to empower businesses in a dynamic market”1.
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Empowering SMEs through digital payments
Kenya’s supply chain finance market is valued at $24.8 billion annually, representing 25.1 per cent of the country’s GDP.
However, current solutions only meet seven to 10 percent of this demand, leaving a substantial gap that Citi Optimized Pay aims to fill. By providing secure and efficient digital payment solutions, SMEs can improve operational efficiency and unlock growth opportunities across the value chain.
Peter O’Toole, Cellulant’s Group CEO, noted that “co-developing Citi Optimized Pay aligns with our mission to offer secure, innovative payment solutions. This solution empowers SMEs by improving cash flow management, enabling business growth across the value chain.”