Cassava Fintech to launch Sasai an All-in-One App to Pay, Chat and Explore

Cassava Fintech International (CFI) is a leading Fintech company in Africa and a subsidiary of the Econet Group and has announced the launch of Africa’s first integrated Social Payments platform branded Sasai which combines instant messaging, social media and mobile payments into one App. For those who know WeChat will understand better how such an app operates.

Sasai will be available to individuals and businesses and will be offered in partnership with Mobile Network Operators (MNOs).

Group CEO of CFI, Darlington Mandivenga said that the launch of Sasai is the first time in Africa and the company has developed a platform which marks the entrance of social messaging apps into the mobile money payments system.

A similar social payments platform model is already active in Asia, where payment apps are bundled with e-commerce, chat and ride-hailing services offered by firms such as Alibaba and Tencent in China. Imagine a WeChat of Africa!

The App will be available for download on Google Play and iOS app stores from 1 August 2019.

This latest innovation comes in response to the call by the Global System for Mobile Communications Association (GSMA) for mobile payment operators to embrace convergence with social payment platforms to create value addition for clients.

The initial release of Sasai will include Pay, Chat and Explore features to allow users to familiarise with the bedrock features of the platform. There will be scheduled monthly releases which will include queued additional features and on-boarded partners.

“We would like to walk the journey with our customers, listening to their feedback and understanding their needs, instead of front loading so many, very exciting and game changing features all at once,” said Mandivenga.

While Chat and Explore features will be instantly available to the public globally, the payment features on Sasai will initially be available through the first partnership arrangement with Econet Wireless Mobile Network Group, which has business operations in Burundi, Lesotho and Zimbabwe.

Additional markets and Mobile Network Operators partnerships will be introduced across Africa on an ongoing basis with the aim of having at least eight markets going live by March 2020.

Mr Mandivenga said Sasai is a digital platform where social interactions and payments converge.

Sasai merges into one platform that has features and services which are typically offered by separate companies via different mobile apps to become a one-stop shop without having to leave the app. Sasai is an All-in-One App to Pay, Chat and Explore.

Its exciting features include Pay, where users will be able to link multiple payment methods such as mobile wallets and bank accounts, pay online for bills and merchants. Sasai brings the convenience of paying through Scan-to-Pay QR function where you just scan the merchants or your friend’s QR code and the payment is done.

Another feature is Chat, where a consumer can now keep in touch with their friends, interest groups, professional network and their service providers all in one place. Sasai users will be able to chat (instant messaging), call their friends, (audio and video calls) send them audio or video messages, as well as doing the same in-groups.

Furthermore, there’s an Explore feature, on the the Application Programming Interface (API) one can explore diverse products and services from one’s service providers under one roof on the Sasai Explore page. A user can access an array of offerings such as individual and group savings, investments, crowdfunding, credit, access to stock markets, e-commerce, e-ticketing, gaming, music and other streaming, on-demand services and much more.

Sasai is a new innovation for Africa and businesses of all sizes on the continent, are now able to monetise their content and services, including interacting and engaging with customers colourfully beyond SMS/Text, advertising and selling their offerings in a digital and targeted manner on a Pan-Africa scale, coupled with real-time customer support using Chatbots.

Cassava Fintech is a diversified and integrated Fintech group that partners with Mobile Network Operators, banks and retailers to enable consumers to execute financial transactions over their mobile phones as well as managing payment systems. Services include Mobile Money, Social Payments, Digital Banking, International Remittances, Mobile Micro Insurance, and Payment Services.