Customers of M-Pesa and MTN Mobile Money in East Africa will be able to transfer money to each other following an agreement between Vodafone Group and MTN Group to interconnect their mobile money services.
This interconnect collaboration between the region’s two biggest mobile money operators will enable convenient and affordable international remittances between M-Pesa customers in Kenya, Tanzania, Democratic Republic of Congo and Mozambique, and MTN Mobile Money customers in Uganda, Rwanda and Zambia.
Under the terms of their Memorandum of Understanding, MTN Group and Vodafone Group will also share best practice and work together to define the rules and standards of mobile-based remittances in Africa.
Vodafone Director of Mobile Money Michael Joseph said: “Our agreement with MTN to connect our mobile money wallets in East Africa is a fantastic example of co-operation and interoperability between competing mobile operators. By working together, we will deliver cheaper, faster money transfers, improving the lives of many people living in the seven countries involved.”
MTN Group Head of Mobile Financial Services, Serigne Dioum said: “After successful launches in Ivory Coast and Benin in West Africa, we are looking enthusiastically at the collaboration with Vodafone in East Africa. Together, we aim to build a scalable model that will accelerate remittance roll-out across the continent.”
For further information:
Vodafone Group
Media Relations
www.vodafone.com/media/contact
Investor Relations
Telephone: +44 (0) 7919 990 230
MTN Group
Media Relations: mtngrouppressoffice@mtn.co.za
About Vodafone
Vodafone is one of the world’s largest telecommunications companies and provides a range of services including voice, messaging, data and fixed communications. Vodafone has mobile operations in 26 countries, partners with mobile networks in 55 more, and fixed broadband operations in 17 markets. As of 31 December 2014, Vodafone had 444 million mobile customers and 11.8 million fixed broadband customers. For more information, please visit:www.vodafone.com.
About M-Pesa
The M-Pesa service was launched in March 2007 by Safaricom Limited in Kenya. It enables millions of people who have access to a mobile phone, but do not have access to a bank account, to send and receive money, top-up airtime, make bill payments and enjoy a range of other services.
M-Pesa had approximately 19.5 million active customers as at 31 December 2014 and approximately 250,000 agents worldwide. It is available in nine markets: Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, Democratic Republic of Congo, India, Mozambique, Egypt, Lesotho and Romania.
About the MTN Group
Launched in 1994, the MTN Group is a leading emerging market operator, connecting subscribers in 22 countries in Africa, Asia and the Middle East. The MTN Group is listed on the JSE Securities Exchange in South Africa under the share code: “MTN.” As of 31 December 2014, MTN recorded 223.4 million subscribers across its operations in Afghanistan, Benin, Botswana, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Cyprus, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, Guinea Republic, Iran, Liberia, Nigeria, Republic of Congo (Congo-Brazzaville), Rwanda, South Africa, Sudan, South Sudan, Swaziland, Syria, Uganda, Yemen and Zambia. Visit us at www.mtnbusiness.com and www.mtn.com.
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