MTN Mobile Money Platform Switch Completed

MTN had earlier announced that their Mobile Money service would be down between the 17th and 20th of October as they switched to a new platform that would improve the service and give more value added services to their customers who use Mobile Money for their transactions.

At a press briefing this morning, MTN Zambia Chief Sales and Distribution Officer Amon Jere said the migration which took place over the weekend was successful and normal service has been restored. He thanked MTN customers for their patience during the transition period.

Urging customers to be a part of the MTN Mobile Money movement, he also stated how Africa is slowly moving towards a cashless society with mobile money being the driver and that Zambia should jump on the technologically advanced bandwagon.

“The world is now focusing more on Mobile banking owing to its convenience and security. In today’s fast paced world, the two key words in any business transaction are time and security. This is what platforms like MTN Mobile Money guarantee. The sooner we embrace this as a country, the better for our economy,” he said.

We know almost everyone now has a cellphone or access to one in Zambia, no matter what type of phone it is, so Mobile Money is definitely catering to all types of the population.

So we absolutely agree with Mr Jere when he said, “MTN Mobile Money is the answer to financial inclusion as it is the most affordable way to capture the unbanked population. The fact that it does not rely on brick and mortar banking but on MTN network availability means it is the most effective way to reach all corners of the nation.”

All we expect to see are minimal transaction fees, more financial inclusion and integration with other mobile financial systems. Another way to go is make MTN Mobile Money work beyond borders, where subscribers can still send money to other MTN users in other countries, similar to what Airtel is now doing in East Africa, and hopefully will be done in Zambia too within the next year.