Airtel Africa and Western Union have entered into a partnership to facilitate mobile remittance service.
Airtel said in a statement that through the partnership, its customers would be able to reliably send and receive international money transfer directly from their phones, using the Airtel Africa mobile money.
It said the new initiative paved the way for the company to further cater to the needs of local and global community members to move money and enable cross-border payments.
The statement read in part, “This partnership helps Airtel Africa to take an active part in the international money transfer business that happens to and from its operating countries.”
The Chief Executive Officer, Airtel Africa, Raghunath Mandava, said the company was very excited to partner Western Union to enable Airtel Money customers to access a world-leading money transfer organisations.
He described international remittances into Nigeria as a lifeline to some of its customers.
Mandava said, “This partnership gives our customers the convenience of directly receiving and sending remittances from their Airtel mobile money wallets.
“Customers will now be automatically credited and debited via their Airtel Money wallets on their phone and can use immediately to access the funds to pay merchants and transfer funds to family and friends.”
He added that the money could be converted to cash from the widespread Airtel Money agents, kiosks and branches.
