EcoCash update mess: When 'improvement' becomes a setback

EcoCash's latest system update, rolled out over the weekend with promises of a "smoother, more secure experience," has instead exposed a familiar and deeply frustrating reality for users across Zimbabwe: when EcoCash changes, things often break.

Social media timelines, WhatsApp groups and everyday conversations tell a consistent story of transactions gone wrong, balances that cannot be trusted, and users locked out of their own money. For a platform that positions itself as the backbone of everyday commerce, this is not just an inconvenience - it is a serious credibility problem.

At the centre of the complaints is a trio of glitches that strike at the heart of trust in any financial system.

First is the PIN problem. Even after updating to the latest version, users are repeatedly told their PIN is "incorrect" despite entering the correct code multiple times. In a country where EcoCash often replaces physical banking, being locked out is not a minor technical hiccup; it can mean failing to buy food, fuel or airtime.

Second, and more alarming, is the issue of vanishing money. ZIPIT and other transactions are reportedly failing while funds are still being deducted. The money does not reach the recipient, nor does it immediately return to the sender. Instead, it hangs in limbo — an unacceptable outcome for a system that handles millions of dollars daily.

Third is the failure to update balances in real time. Users are left guessing how much money they actually have, undermining confidence and increasing the risk of failed transactions or accidental overspending.

Together, these problems evoke uncomfortable memories of the 2021-era "EcoCash mess," when system instability and regulatory pressure combined to paralyse the platform. The context may be different today, but the pattern feels worryingly familiar.

To be fair, the new SIM-binding security feature makes sense in theory. Strengthening security in an era of rising fraud is necessary. But good ideas collapse if they are poorly executed. Once again, EcoCash appears to struggle with scaling its infrastructure during major updates. The moment transaction volumes spike, the system buckles.

This raises a bigger question: has EcoCash truly invested enough in resilient, modern infrastructure, or is it still relying on systems that cannot cope with the demands of a national payments platform?

EcoCash is not just another app. It is embedded in Zimbabwe's informal economy, used by vendors, commuters, small businesses and families. When it fails, the ripple effects are immediate and widespread. Reliability is not a luxury; it is the product.

For now, many users are resorting to a workaround that feels like a step back in time: abandoning the smartphone app and relying on the USSD (*151#) menu for critical transactions. It is clunky, slow and limited — but, at present, more reliable than the supposedly upgraded interface.

That alone should worry EcoCash's management.

If digital finance is to drive inclusion and efficiency, updates must reduce friction, not amplify it. EcoCash owes its users more than apologies and assurances. It owes them a system that works — especially after it has been "improved."