DPO Pay

DPO Pay is a leading payment service provider in Africa that enables tour operators to accept online payments across 15 African markets and the UAE. The platform processes all major credit cards, mobile money payments like M-Pesa and Airtel Money, bank transfers, and e-wallets through a single integration. Tour operators benefit from DPO Pay's deep understanding of African payment infrastructure, including support for local payment methods that are essential for reaching customers across the continent. The platform is owned by Network International, which brings over 25 years of experience in digital commerce across the Middle East and Africa region. DPO Pay's cloud-based solution allows businesses to accept payments from customers worldwide in any currency while settling funds to local African banks, making it particularly valuable for tour operators serving both international travelers and local customers.

DPO Pay uses custom pricing based on transaction volume and business needs rather than publishing standard rate cards. The platform charges a gateway fee that typically includes monthly account fees plus per-transaction costs, though specific amounts vary by merchant agreement and country of operation. Tour operators should expect pricing discussions to cover merchant service fees for card processing, mobile money transaction fees where applicable, and currency conversion charges for international payments. DPO Pay emphasizes competitive pricing compared to traditional payment processors, particularly for businesses processing significant volumes across multiple African markets. The company's real-time settlement option, which allows immediate access to funds rather than waiting days for batch settlements, may carry additional fees but significantly improves cash flow. Businesses interested in DPO Pay should contact their sales team directly for a customized quote based on projected monthly transaction volumes, average transaction sizes, and which African markets they operate in.

DPO Pay serves tour operators of all sizes across Africa, from small local operators to large international travel companies, though it's particularly well-suited for businesses with established operations in African markets. Small to medium-sized tour operators benefit from DPO Pay's ability to accept local payment methods like mobile money, which can represent a significant portion of transactions in many African countries. Larger tour operators appreciate the platform's ability to process payments across 15 different African markets with a single integration, eliminating the need for multiple local payment gateway relationships. The platform works best for businesses processing at least moderate transaction volumes, as the monthly gateway fees and setup costs are more easily justified with consistent payment activity. Tour operators serving both international tourists and local customers find particular value in DPO Pay's multicurrency capabilities and support for both traditional card payments and African mobile money solutions. Startup tour operators should carefully evaluate whether their transaction volumes justify the platform's costs compared to simpler global payment solutions.

DPO Pay offers comprehensive integration options designed to work with most tour operator technology stacks through APIs and pre-built plugins. The platform provides integrations with major e-commerce platforms including WooCommerce, Magento, PrestaShop, Shopify, Wix, OpenCart, and Ecwid, making it accessible for businesses using standard website builders. Tour operators with custom booking systems can integrate using DPO Pay's RESTful APIs, which use XML as the primary format and PHP as a secondary language. The platform supports web applications, mobile applications, and point-of-sale systems through flexible API connections. DPO Pay also offers virtual terminal capabilities for taking phone or in-person payments without requiring customers to be online. For businesses using booking management systems popular in the African tourism market, DPO Pay often has existing integrations or can provide technical documentation for custom connections. The platform's API documentation and developer resources enable technical teams to build custom integrations that fit specific operational workflows, including automated payment reconciliation and booking confirmation processes.

DPO Pay provides customer support through multiple channels with particular strength in African time zones and languages. The platform operates a 24-hour fraud prevention team that monitors transactions in real-time, providing an additional layer of security support for merchants. Tour operators can access technical support for integration issues, payment troubleshooting, and platform configuration through email and phone channels. DPO Pay's support team understands the specific challenges of African payment infrastructure, including issues with mobile money networks, local bank connections, and cross-border settlements that can affect tour operators. The platform provides documentation and FAQs covering common payment scenarios, integration guides, and troubleshooting resources. As part of Network International following the 2021 acquisition, DPO Pay benefits from enterprise-level support infrastructure while maintaining focus on African market expertise. Response times vary by support tier and issue severity, with critical payment processing issues typically receiving priority attention. Tour operators should clarify their specific support entitlements during contract negotiations, as premium support options may be available for larger accounts.

DPO Pay typically requires a formal merchant services agreement that outlines terms, conditions, and fee structures for payment processing services. The Payment Processing Services Agreement establishes the relationship between the merchant and DPO Pay, covering important details like transaction fees, settlement terms, liability provisions, and compliance requirements. Contract terms generally include minimum processing periods, though specific duration requirements vary based on business size and negotiated terms. Tour operators should expect the agreement to cover PCI DSS compliance responsibilities, fraud prevention protocols, chargeback handling procedures, and data security obligations. The contract typically specifies settlement currency options, payout schedules, and any reserve requirements the platform may hold for risk management purposes. DPO Pay's agreements also address important operational details like dispute resolution processes, service level commitments, and procedures for handling customer refunds. Businesses should carefully review contract terms related to early termination fees, notice periods, and any volume commitments before signing. The formality of the contract reflects the regulated nature of payment processing in African markets and the need to establish clear responsibilities between merchants and payment service providers.

DPO Pay's transaction fees vary based on payment method, transaction type, and the specific African market where payments are processed. Card transaction fees typically include an interchange fee paid to card-issuing banks, a scheme fee paid to card networks like Visa or Mastercard, and DPO Pay's processing markup. Mobile money transactions, which are significant in African markets, carry separate fee structures that differ from card processing and vary by mobile money provider and country. Tour operators accepting international payments should expect currency conversion fees when customers pay in different currencies than the business settles in. The platform's fee structure often differs between card-present transactions (using point-of-sale terminals) and card-not-present online transactions, with online transactions typically carrying slightly higher fees due to increased fraud risk. Transaction fees may be structured as a percentage of transaction value plus a fixed per-transaction fee, though high-volume merchants can often negotiate better rates. The rolling reserve requirement, where a percentage of transactions is held for 180 days to cover potential chargebacks, effectively creates an additional temporary cost for merchants. Tour operators should request a detailed fee schedule during the sales process to understand total processing costs across all expected payment types.

DPO Pay offers flexible settlement options including a Real Time Settlements feature that enables tour operators to receive funds from transactions immediately rather than waiting for batch settlements. Standard settlement timing varies by payment method, with card transactions typically settling within 2-3 business days to the merchant's African bank account. Mobile money settlements can occur more quickly, sometimes within 24 hours, depending on the specific mobile money network and country of operation. The settlement schedule represents when DPO Pay transfers funds to the merchant's bank account after deducting applicable fees and any rolling reserve amounts. Tour operators using Real Time Settlements gain significant cash flow advantages, particularly valuable for businesses that need immediate access to funds for operational expenses or to confirm bookings quickly. Settlement timing can be affected by factors including bank processing schedules in different African countries, currency conversion requirements for international payments, and any holds placed on transactions flagged for fraud review. The 180-day rolling reserve requirement means that a portion of funds may be held longer as protection against chargebacks, though clean transaction records can lead to reserve requirement reductions over time. Tour operators should clarify exact settlement terms in their merchant agreement, as timing can vary based on business risk profile and processing history.

DPO Pay processes payments in any currency worldwide and settles funds to banks across the African region, providing crucial flexibility for tour operators serving international travelers. The platform supports major international currencies including US dollars, euros, British pounds, and other common tourist currencies alongside local African currencies across all 15 markets where DPO Pay operates. Tour operators can configure their payment pages to display prices and accept payments in multiple currencies simultaneously, allowing customers to pay in their preferred currency. Currency conversion is handled automatically by the platform using competitive exchange rates, with the conversion fee structure varying based on currency pairs and transaction volumes. Settlement currency is typically chosen by the merchant and can be any currency their local African bank accepts, though settling in local currency often provides better exchange rates than multiple currency conversions. The multicurrency capability is particularly valuable for tour operators serving both international tourists who prefer to pay in their home currencies and local customers who need to pay in African currencies. DPO Pay's currency support extends to mobile money solutions, which operate in local currencies across different African countries. Tour operators should discuss expected currency mix during implementation to ensure optimal pricing and conversion fee arrangements.

DPO Pay provides tools and processes for managing refunds and chargebacks, though tour operators retain primary responsibility for customer disputes and resolution. Refunds can be processed through the DPO Pay merchant portal or via API integration, allowing tour operators to issue full or partial refunds for canceled bookings or service issues. The refund process typically returns funds to customers using the same payment method they used originally, with refund timing varying by payment method—card refunds usually take 5-10 business days while mobile money refunds can be faster. Chargeback management is handled through DPO Pay's dispute resolution process, where merchants receive notification of chargeback claims and can submit evidence to contest invalid disputes. The platform's 24-hour fraud prevention team helps identify potentially fraudulent transactions before they lead to chargebacks, providing valuable protection for tour operators. Rolling reserve requirements exist specifically to cover potential chargebacks, with DPO Pay holding funds for 180 days to ensure sufficient reserves for dispute resolution. Tour operators should maintain detailed booking records, customer communications, and proof of service delivery to successfully defend legitimate charges against chargeback attempts. Transaction fees are typically not refunded when processing customer refunds, creating a cost for tour operators even when refunding customers appropriately. The platform's chargeback handling reflects both international card network rules and local African regulations that govern payment disputes.

DPO Pay holds PCI DSS Level 1 certification, the highest security standard in the payment industry, and was the first payment service provider in Africa to achieve this certification across 12 African countries. This certification means DPO Pay maintains rigorous security controls for storing, processing, and transmitting cardholder data, protecting both tour operators and their customers from data breaches. Tour operators using DPO Pay benefit from this compliance because it reduces their own PCI compliance burden—when card data is processed entirely through DPO Pay's secure infrastructure without touching the merchant's servers, compliance requirements are significantly simplified. The platform's PCI compliance covers payment pages, APIs, mobile applications, and virtual terminals, ensuring secure handling of sensitive payment information across all channels. DPO Pay also maintains GDPR readiness for data protection requirements and complies with international data protection regulations that affect businesses operating in Africa. The platform's compliance infrastructure includes real-time fraud monitoring, encryption of cardholder data, secure authentication protocols, and regular security assessments. Tour operators still have some PCI compliance responsibilities depending on their integration method, particularly if they collect card data on their own systems before passing it to DPO Pay. The PCI DSS Level 1 certification is maintained through annual audits and continuous security monitoring, providing ongoing assurance of payment security standards. For tour operators handling sensitive customer data, DPO Pay's comprehensive compliance posture reduces risk and provides peace of mind.

DPO Pay supports recurring payment capabilities essential for tour operators offering installment plans, subscription services, or deposit-and-balance payment structures common in the travel industry. The platform's tokenization functionality allows merchants to securely store payment credentials for future charges, enabling automated recurring billing without requiring customers to re-enter payment information. Tour operators can set up recurring payment schedules for customers who prefer to pay for expensive tours in installments rather than single large payments, improving booking conversion rates. The recurring payment feature works with both card payments and some mobile money solutions, though specific capabilities vary by payment method and African market. Implementation typically involves capturing customer authorization for recurring charges during the initial booking, then using stored tokens to process subsequent payments according to the agreed schedule. Tour operators should clearly communicate recurring payment terms to customers and maintain records of authorization to prevent disputes. DPO Pay's API provides functionality to create, modify, and cancel recurring payment arrangements as needed for changing customer circumstances. The platform's fraud monitoring system evaluates recurring transactions to identify suspicious patterns while allowing legitimate repeat charges to process smoothly. Recurring payment capabilities are particularly valuable for tour operators offering safari packages, multi-day tours, or ongoing travel services where payment over time improves accessibility for customers. Tour operators should verify specific recurring payment functionality for their target markets during implementation, as capabilities may vary across DPO Pay's 15 operating countries.