How Tunzi app is Automating Saving Culture in Rwanda

In the traditional banking world, saving is a manual chore requiring constant discipline. For many, the gap between intending to save and doing it is where goals fail, as daily expenses override long-term plans.

Tunzi solves this by turning the mindset of spending on its head. Using automation and gamification, the platform helps users bridge the gap to build consistent, wealth-generating habits.

Engineering a New Savings Culture

Tunzi, a savings and investment application, was launched in Rwanda in 2025 by Samuel Njuguna, the CEO of Moneto Ventures. The platform serves as the Rwandan expansion of Chumz, a successful Kenyan fintech that Njuguna founded to modernize the region’s approach to personal finance. 

Named after the Kinyarwanda word ubutunzi (wealth), the platform utilizes automation and gamification to replace traditional willpower with a rewarding, interactive experience. By allowing users to start with as little as RWF 50 via mobile money, Tunzi bridges the gap between the intention to save and the action of building wealth. 

Whether through individual goals or collaborative group savings, the application is designed to turn everyday financial decisions into consistent opportunities for long-term growth.

Saving by Habit

Tunzi eliminates the friction of manual decision-making by turning daily spending habits into automated, seamless opportunities to build wealth.

• Automated Saving Rules: Using mobile money transaction alerts, the system prompts users to save small amounts; like rounding down balances or saving after dining out; turning daily spending into passive wealth building.

• Diverse Goal Categories: Users can personalize their journey with categories matching real-world needs like Rent, Insurance, Education, Business, Emergency, and Debt. Options for Vacations, Tech, and Land ensure every Franc has a specific purpose.

• The 52-Week Savings Challenge: This gamified feature automates a year-long journey starting from RWF 50. Users can increase or decrease weekly contributions, while the app manages reminders to build a lump sum with an 8% p.a. return.

• The Power of Groups: Up to 15 members can save toward shared targets. For security and transparency, every member must digitally approve withdrawal requests, preventing unauthorized use of collective capital.

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• Financial Literacy for the Next Generation: Parents can create goals for their children to watch interest grow together, serving as a practical tool for teaching delayed gratification and financial fundamentals.

Professional Wealth Management

Tunzi’s financial infrastructure ensures capital is held securely while detailing the specific protocols for growth and protection.

• Multilayered Investment Goals: Users choose between Normal Goals, offering high liquidity and 6% p.a. interest with anytime withdrawals, and Locked Goals, which reward a three-month commitment with a higher 8% p.a. return.

• Regulated Fund Management: Authorized by the Capital Markets Authority (CMA), all funds are held in a custody bank and managed by BK Capital. A 24 to 48-hour withdrawal window serves as a "cooling off" period to prevent impulse spending while assets are uplifted from the market.

• Transparent Fee Structure: With no maintenance or registration fees, Tunzi uses a differential model, charging only 2.5% of the interest distributed. This keeps the platform's goals aligned with the user’s portfolio growth.

• Enforced Saving Discipline: Accessing Locked Goals before the three-month mark results in a penalty of half the earned interest. This acts as a barrier to ensure users stay committed to their original financial objectives.

Tunzi’s impact extends to the Rwandan diaspora, enabling them to participate in home-grown economic growth. With only an active MTN Rwanda number, those abroad can contribute to family goals or personal investments in real-time. This inclusivity is central to transforming Rwanda’s saving culture into a seamless, automated experience. 

As Tunzi scales its behavioral model across the region, it continues to build a unified ecosystem where specialized saving rules and bank-grade security are accessible to a continental audience. Joining this community is about setting measurable goals and watching capital grow daily under the trusted regulation of the Capital Markets Authority.