Nairobi. Bharti Airtel has unveiled
a mobile money platform in Uganda, which now completes the technical process of
linking its Tanzanian and Kenyan outfits and set the stage for cross-border
money transfer.
Mr Michael Okwiri, the vice
president for Corporate Communication at Airtel Africa, said this week that the
firm was in the process of creating a seamless money transfer service across
Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda.
“We have applied to the relevant
authorities in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania and are awaiting for regulatory
approvals,” said Mr Okwiri.
The mobile telephony firm – which
has operations in 16 African countries –is seeking to reap from increased trade
in the region, following the formation of the East Africa common market.
Airtel this week upgraded its
Ugandan money transfer service following a revamp of its Tanzania service last
December, setting the stage for a seamless regional network. There are already
mobile money transfer services in the region such as M-Pesa, MTN money, Essar’s
yu Money and Orange Money, but all operate within the individual countries only.
This has led to some unscrupulous
traders to offer the service and charge consumers heavily. Money transfers have
not only brought the unbanked into the financial scene, but are a source of
revenue for mobile firms.
Meanwhile, in Dar es Salaam, Airtel
Tanzania conducted a workshop to stakeholders as part of its efforts to
increase customer awareness on Airtel Money, the firm’s mobile money payment
service.
On Wednesday Airtel gathered stakeholders to a meeting and explained
to them the benefits of its mobile-payment product.
Source: The Citizen reported by The Citizen Correspondents
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