Orange Money has achieved 3 million customers in eight
countries where it is offered. Orange Money has tripled its customer base in
the past year and continues to grow with the recent launch of services in two
new countries: in Botswana in partnership with the Standard Chartered Bank, and
in Cameroon in partnership with the BPCE group.
Orange Money offers a huge potential in sub-Saharan
Africa in particular, where less than 10 percent of the population have access
to a bank account but more than 60 percent have a mobile phone.
In countries where it is available, mobile phone
customers may open an Orange Money account whether or not they have a bank
account. Orange Money allows customers to carry out simple banking operations
and transactions in total security.
Orange
will expand the Orange Money offer to include the possibility of receiving
international money transfers.
Orange and Western Union,
a provider of international money transfer services, have joined hands to
develop this new service, which will enable Orange Money customers to receive
transfers directly on their mobile phones via Western Union’s global system.
According to the World Bank, countries in Africa, the
Middle East and Asia in which the Group operates receive more than 25 million
transfers every year.
We are pioneering a full range of ways for our consumers
to send and receive money. This alliance with Orange – one of the world’s most
successful mobile operators – will introduce cross-border remittances to an
entirely new segment of customers by allowing them to receive money using just
their mobile phones,” said Gregg Marshall, global head, Mobile Services,
Western Union.
Orange Money is a very important part of Orange’s
strategy in Africa and emerging markets. Mobile payment services have the
potential to bring cost-effective and secure access to banking services to
people with low incomes, who often live in rural or remote areas.
By providing our customers with the means to save money,
pay bills, run their businesses and receive money from abroad, we are not only
reinforcing customer fidelity but we are also able to play an active role in
the economic and social development of the country,” said Marc Rennard,
Orange’s Executive Director for AMEA operations.
First launched in Cote d’Ivoire in December 2008, Orange
Money is also available in Senegal, Madagascar, Mali, Niger and Kenya, as well
as in Botswana and Cameroon. It will soon be launched in Mauritius. The Group
expects success in mobile banking services to accelerate in the coming years in
light of the expanding customer base and widespread use of these services on a
day-to-day basis.
By Telecomlead.com Team
[email protected]
