How connected Marasoft ERP and payment systems help businesses grow responsibl
From fragmented tools to one connected business system
Sustainability is often discussed as an environmental ambition. For a growing business, it is also the ability to remain financially healthy, operate efficiently, serve customers consistently and adapt as markets change. In 2026, these goals are increasingly connected to the quality of operational data and the systems used to manage it.
For African small and medium-sized businesses, a merchant may accept digital payments but still track stock in a notebook, chase unpaid invoices through messages, reconcile settlements manually and pay suppliers using disconnected channels. Each gap creates extra work, weakens visibility and makes growth harder to sustain.
Marasoft Pay’s proposition is to bring essential payment and business workflows together: collections and settlements, POS, ERP, bill payment, wallets, in-store checkout, payment links and invoices. The aim is to help businesses manage more of their daily activity through one connected ecosystem.
Why sustainability now depends on better operations
An enduring business must understand where money comes from, where it goes, what stock is moving, which customers owe money and which processes consume the most time and resources. Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) connects activities such as sales, inventory, finance and customer records, creating a more consistent operational picture.
Visa’s 2026 Pay and Get Paid study reported that 94% of surveyed Nigerian SMEs found an all-in-one payment and business solution appealing, while only 29% said they currently used one. Among businesses using integrated tools, 93% reported satisfaction and 88% reported efficiency gains. The Nigeria sample included 251 SMEs interviewed between March and April 2026. These figures point to a gap between accepting digital payments and connecting transactions to the work that follows: recording sales, updating stock, issuing invoices and reconciling settlements.
The SMEDAN National MSME Digital Transformation Blueprint, based on research involving more than 1,600 MSMEs and support organizations across nine states and the FCT, found that 62% named the cost of devices, data and tools as a major barrier; 59% had no internet connection at work; and only 13% used operational tools such as accounting, inventory or
e-commerce. This underlines the need for practical, accessible digital systems.
Three dimensions of sustainability
Financial: accurate collections, timely settlements, invoice tracking and clearer cash-flow information support better decisions.
Operational: connected sales, inventory and reporting can reduce repetitive administration, duplicated records and avoidable errors.
Environmental: better stock visibility can support informed purchasing, reduce over-ordering and help identify waste. Technology does not automatically make a company sustainable; it provides information and control that teams can use to improve.
The wider business environment reflects this priority. KPMG’s 2026 Africa CEO Outlook reports that 41% of African CEOs prioritize energy-demand optimization, showing how resource efficiency is tied to resilience and competitiveness.
One connected ecosystem: the Marasoft Pay approach
Marasoft Pay brings together payment acceptance, money movement and business-management capabilities. The value is not simply having many features; it is the opportunity to connect the steps around a transaction and make daily operations easier to monitor.
Collections and settlements help businesses receive payments and manage the movement of funds. Reviewing payment and settlement information alongside sales records can support reconciliation and cash-flow visibility. POS and in-store checkout support face-to-face commerce and can help connect sales activity with stock records and reporting. ERP organizes operational information, helping teams review sales, inventory and performance.
Bill payment and wallets provide digital channels for payment needs and funds management. Payment links and invoices help businesses request payment remotely, communicate what is owed and maintain transaction records.
A practical example
Imagine a retailer selling through a physical shop and online channels. A customer pays at the counter through POS or in-store checkout; another pays remotely using a payment link against an invoice. Collections and settlement records support payment tracking, while ERP records help the business review sales and stock. The owner can use the available information to plan replenishment, follow up on unpaid invoices and understand which channels contribute to revenue. This is an illustrative workflow, not a guarantee of automatic integration or a quantified outcome.
A practical roadmap for 2026
- Map the workflow: identify where sales, stock, invoices and payments are recorded.
- Connect the essentials: prioritize tools that remove duplication and improve visibility.
- Measure a baseline: track invoice collection time, stock discrepancies, settlement reconciliation time, payment-channel mix and avoidable wastage.
- Review monthly: compare results, train staff and adjust processes.
- Grow responsibly: add capabilities as the business is ready, with suitable access controls, backups and data-protection practices.
Building for resilience, not just expansion
Business sustainability in 2026 is about building an organization that can keep serving customers, managing costs and adapting to change. ERP provides operational structure; connected payment tools link customer transactions to the financial and administrative work behind them. Marasoft Pay’s combination of collections and settlements, POS, ERP, bill payment, wallets, in-store checkout, payment links and invoices offers businesses a route towards more joined-up operations. Strong results still depend on clear processes, trained people and regular measurement.
Make every transaction part of a smarter way to run your business.