adminACCRA — GHANA based Airtel Money and Vivo Energy, a Shell licensee in 15 African markets, announced a landmark collaborative Pan-African agreement to strengthen both companies’ footprints on the continent.
The partnership will initially be rolled out in Uganda, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Madagascar and Kenya where both companies currently operate.
Rollout is anticipated by first half of this year.According to the two firms, the objective of the agreement was to give communities in their host countries, substantially more Airtel Money agent points through Vivo Energy’s network of Shell retail service stations and convenience shops in all current and future countries in Africa in which both Airtel and Vivo Energy would operate.
The Executive Vice President Supply & Marketing at Vivo Energy said, David Mureithi said, “Mobile Money represents huge opportunity with the unbanked and also banked population of Africa. At the end of 2013, we had more than 730 million mobile phones registered in Africa.
“This represents a 70 percent penetration in the population. Mobile Money services have gained momentum in a number of countries across the continent, led by operators, like Airtel, looking to add to their portfolio value-added services.”
“The initiatives fit our overall strategy of offering innovating solutions to our customers and develop lasting relationship with them.
Through this alliance with Airtel, we want to expand the range of services we offer to our customers and also allow them to pay in a simple and easy way on our retail sites.”
The Director and Africa Head of Airtel Money, Chidi Okpala, welcomed the deal.
“This partnership provides our customers with additional outlets where they can deposit and withdraw cash, as well as make purchases for fuel and other services at Shell service stations with Airtel Money.
The partnership will bring Airtel Money closer to arm’length for customers who visit the very conveniently located Shell branded outlets every day,” he said.
Vivo Energy operates 1 430 Shell branded service stations in 15 countries across Africa.
Airtel Money is also operational in 15 countries in Africa, with over 27 million registered customers and over 250 000 registered agents. — CAJ News.
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