This archive report was first published on 5 October 2021.
On October 5, 2021, Airtel Money announced a significant partnership with African payments company, Flutterwave, to expand its services to businesses across Eastern Africa.
The partnership will enable businesses in Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Kenya, and Rwanda to receive and send funds through Airtel Money, reaching the company's 19.2 million customers in the region.
According to Airtel, the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the adoption of mobile money services, with a 12.7 percent increase in registered global mobile money accounts in 2020, as reported by the GSMA.
As the trend continues, this partnership responds to the growing dominance of cashless societies across the sub-Saharan region and the need to deepen digital innovation in African communities.
Airtel Mobile Commerce BV CEO, Vimal Kumar Ambat, reiterated the company's commitment to bridging the digital divide and enhancing financial and digital inclusion for millions of businesses across sub-Saharan Africa.
“Our partnership with Flutterwave will help to empower even more customers through simple and accessible payments services, using the latest technologies, that support business innovation and boost local economies,” he said.
Flutterwave Founder and CEO, Olugbenga GB Agboola, added, “Our business goal is to continue to support African businesses digitize their payments methods and introduce them to a world of opportunities that come with digitization. We are excited to have partnered with Airtel Money to further advance local businesses’ payment methods which will allow them to increasingly provide more services to their customers, grow their customer base and revenue.”
