Airtel, Pesapal venture to ease mobile transactions in Tanzania

Airtel Money’s Director, Mr. Andrew Rugamba (right), and Ms. Bupe Mwakalunda, Pesapal Country Manager, exchange documents that symbolize their newfound partnership during a brief yet impactful meeting held in Dar es Salaam today. Through this strategic alliance, both entities are poised to revolutionize online payments, offering merchants and customers unparalleled convenience and speed.

• Customers and Merchants to reap more

• Pesapal, Airtel Money service geared to boost financial inclusion

Dar es Salaam. 29th August 2023: Pesapal Tanzania, among the leading POS payment and online payments company in Tanzania, providing affordable payment services to several merchants including hotels, restaurants, hospitals, pharmacies, to mention but a few, has partnered with Airtel Money to provide Airtel Money as an additional payment option to all its merchants, on Pesapal POS machines.

This innovation will allow Airtel Money customers to make payments conveniently, secured at any Pesapal merchant using Airtel Money while all Pesapal merchants can now receive payments directly from Airtel money users.

Pesapal has also extended Airtel Money payment option to the Pesapal online payments gateway, enabling more than 300 merchants supported by Pesapal to accept payments via Airtel Money, thus providing a convenient payment option to all Airtel Money customers. The Airtel Money option for online payments is more affordable than most means used to make online payments.

Under the partnership, all businesses that use Pesapal payment machines will receive payments with Airtel Money, in addition to Visa and Mastercard payments.

Speaking at the launch of the Airtel Money payment option, at Wood Berry Café, a Pesapal merchant in Dar es Salaam today, Pesapal country Manager Ms. Bupe Mwakalunda said that “the breadth and size of the partnership will bring convenient, affordable and secure payment solutions, better service delivery to all Airtel Money customers to experience a simple payment solution”.

"Tanzania is rapidly changing towards a cashless economy, and we look forward to working with Airtel Money to support merchants in this transition period by enabling them to serve their customers better at all times be it online merchant payments, home delivery services, or at their favorite retail store."

“We are determined to provide our customers with the best and most innovative solutions in receiving payments. This partnership is one step forward towards achieving digital lifestyle, bringing innovative financial services closer to our customers in Tanzania," said Ms. Bupe.

On his part, Airtel Money Director, Andrew Rugamba said that “Airtel Money is pleased to partner with Pesapal to launch yet another innovative service that will increase convenience to Airtel Money customers by enabling seamless, affordable payments for goods and services for all Airtel Money customers. The service will be available in several merchant locations throughout Tanzania expanding the Airtel Money touch points. The service is robust and has gone further to provide Airtel Money customers with a receipt for each payment’’.

“Businesses and online merchants will now serve all their customers conveniently through Airtel Money. All money collected through Pesapal merchants on behalf of the merchant will be settled at the merchant’s bank account, we encourage all merchants that want a secure, affordable, and convenient payment method to use Pesapal and Airtel payment option.", said Rugamba.

Pesapal and Airtel Money partnership is another step in enhancing digital payments supporting the GoT financial inclusion agenda.

According to the Global System for Mobile Communications Association (GSMA), in 2021, Africa accounted for 70 percent of the USD 1 trillion in mobile phone transactions.

It increased 39 percent to USD 701.4 billion in 2021 from USD 495 billion in 2020, indicating the future of African banking is mobile phones.

In addition to Airtel Money merchants’ partnership launched today, the company has over 200,000 wakalas and 4,000 Airtel Money Branches across the country making Airtel Money service available to all 24 hrs /7 days a week.

About Airtel Africa

Airtel Africa is a leading provider of telecommunications and mobile money services, with a presence in 14 countries in Africa, primarily in East Africa and Central and West Africa.

Airtel Africa offers an integrated suite of telecommunications solutions to its subscribers, including mobile voice and data services as well as mobile money services both nationally and internationally.

The Group aims to continue providing a simple and intuitive customer experience through streamlined customer journeys.

www.airtel.africa

About Pesapal Ltd:

Thousands of businesses and customers trust us to simplify and secure their payments.

Founded in 2009, we are the leading payments services company with the in-house expertise in building payments and commerce in Africa. Pesapal has more than 300 employees in 5 African countries - and we are adding more.

We are on track to connect one million entrepreneurs and consumers in Africa to e-commerce, digital payments, and the global financial system by 2030.

Pesapal is under the supervision of the Central Bank of Tanzania, the Central Bank of Uganda, the Central Bank of Kenya, and the National Bank of Rwanda.