This archive report was first published on 9 October 2019.
On October 9, 2019, Airtel Africa announced a partnership with Mastercard, expanding digital payment options for millions of customers across the continent.
The partnership allows Airtel Money customers to make payments to local and global online merchants using a Mastercard virtual card, ensuring secure and private financial data. Additionally, customers can make in-person payments at outlets via Quick Response (QR) codes, accepted at over 1 million locations across Africa.
Airtel Money customers will also benefit from competitive pricing and preferential exchange rates for international payments, as well as access to bill payments, merchant payments, and value-added services like cash management solutions.
Airtel Africa's CEO, Raghunath Mandava, stated, “Airtel and Mastercard share a passion for digital transformation and making mobile financial services accessible to everyone across the continent. This partnership will enable over 100 million Airtel Africa customers to make safe mobile money purchases online and in person.”
Amnah Ajmal, Executive Vice President for Market Development at Mastercard Middle East and Africa, added, “We are excited to partner with Airtel to lead the transition to digital, enabling access to their millions of consumers for online and in-person payments across the globe.”
As mobile internet connections grow rapidly in Africa, driven by low-cost smartphones and high-speed GSM networks, the demand for digital content, social media, and online payments is increasing, making secure and easy payment options essential for both banked and unbanked consumers.
