We all know it and everyone hates it. It breaks friendships… literally. Forget someone’s birthday? That’s totally fine. Forget Yodulira? That’s a crime. That’s why every money request sounds like: “Send me K20,000… plus Yodulira.”
I recently booked an apartment in Lilongwe on Booking.com. When I arrived, the owner smiled politely and said: “Next time, don’t use Booking.com. They deduct commission.” That’s when it hit me. This is just Yodulira in a different jacket. A fee for access.
Not long ago, sending money to the village took a day or a week… plus blind faith in a bus driver. Today, Mpamba and Airtel Money deliver instant relief. Yet we still curse Yodulira as if these networks are robbing us. Of course they make money… that’s the point. It’s a service. It’s business.
You see, Yodulira pays the agent, keeps the network up, and the whole system running. Without it, mobile money would be like donor aid, you think it’s free, but someone is paying for it. These platforms can’t be free, that’s a fact. We need to understand the economics and appreciate the convenience, whether we’re the merchant or the consumer.
Before platforms like Booking.com, property owners took a hundred calls a day, some from pranksters, the rest from maybe-guests. Now, these platforms handle that burden. They bring verified customers and manage cancellations.
POS devices get the same side-eye. Some merchants swear to their ancestors, promising that no POS machine will ever cross their counter because of bank fees. Meanwhile, they’re counting cash all day, turning away card-carrying customers, and dodging counterfeit notes. A POS machine isn’t a thief, it’s a bodyguard. It keeps your business safe and efficient.
Yet, many Malawian businesses still resist e-commerce. Why? Because commissions and fees feel like “theft.” They think they’re saving money, not realizing what they’re losing. They focus on what leaves their pocket, not what returns as growth.
Look, the future is e-commerce, and Malawi can’t stay cash-only while the world moves online. Startups like PayChangu, Ecoride and Kwenda are pushing us forward, but adoption is still stuck in Yodulira-denial.
Just like Yodulira keeps mobile money alive, commissions fuel e-commerce. Avoiding them might feel smart today, but it’s a sure way to keep ourselves stuck in the past.
We hate Yodulira, fees, and commissions, but we pay them anyway. Because convenience wins. Always. These “cuts” aren’t theft. They’re the price of access.
The future is digital. The sooner we embrace it, the sooner we unlock opportunities we didn’t even know existed.
