Xpress Money Joins Hands with Safaricom to Boost Mobile Remittances in Kenya

DUBAI, UAE, June 18, 2014 /PRNewswire/ --

~ Will offer Money Transfer services on the M-PESA Platform ~

Xpress Money, the world's most dependable money transfer brand, today announced its tie up with Safaricom to offer money transfer services on the latter's popular M-PESA platform in Kenya. This partnership will further boost the m-wallet concept championed by Safaricom, making it easier and more convenient for Xpress Money customers to receive money in Kenya.

The M-PESA service on Xpress Money channels will be a phased rollout; countries to go live in the first phase include UK, UAE, KSA and Qatar. In the subsequent phases the service will go live from other countries under the Xpress Money network, and the rollout is expected to conclude by the end of 2014. As an initial launch offering, Xpress Money has introduced a promotional pricing for Kenya from UK and UAE. Customers sending money from UK to Kenya on M-PESA via Xpress Money will enjoy a low transfer fee of £2.99, while customers from UAE will be able to do so at a flat price of AED 15.

This partnership between M-PESA and Xpress Money comes at a time when the impact of remittances to Kenya's economic and social development is being felt more than ever before. Over 2.5 million Kenyans live and work abroad, sending money home on a regular basis. As of February 2014, remittances to Kenya rose to USD 110.42 million - an 8% increase from the same period last year - according to the Central Bank of Kenya.

Talking about the association, Sudhesh Giriyan, Vice President & Business Head at Xpress Money said: "We at Xpress Money have been looking to provide our customers with increasingly innovative products and services that match their hectic lifestyles; this partnership with Safaricom is a step in the same direction. Mobile money transfers are the future of the remittance business, and Kenya being a key focus market for us it made sense for us to introduce this service in the country. We are happy to join hands with Safaricom for this service offering."

"At KES 111 billion ($1.3 billion), diaspora remittances are Kenya's fourth largest source of foreign exchange making this a market that is hard to ignore. By entering into partnerships like this one with Xpress Money, we are making it possible for Kenyans to access money from their relatives abroad in a more affordable and convenient manner," said Betty Mwangi-Thuo, GM, Safaricom's Financial Services.

M-PESA has over 15 million subscribers in Kenya, making it one of the most prolific money transfer on the mobile platform available globally. Xpress Money has over 170,000 locations across 150 countries across the globe and caters to thousands of customers looking to transfer money back home, daily. Xpress Money's international remittances on M-PESA channels will be facilitated by HomeSend - a BICS service based on technology of eServGlobal, its strategic business partner.

*Source http://www.cck.go.ke/news/2012/sector_statistics.html

Notes to editor 

About Xpress Money: 

Xpress Money is a global money transfer brand with a thriving presence in more than 150 countries in 5 continents across 170,000 agent locations. Xpress Money provides its customers a simple, fast and safe way to transfer money through innovative technology, superior customer service and its extensive worldwide network, and has come to be known as the most dependable international money transfer brand. For more information, follow us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/XpressMoney , Twitter: @Xpress_Money or visit http://www.xpressmoney.com

About M-PESA 

The M-PESA service was launched in March 2007 by Safaricom Limited making Kenya the first country in the world to affect a successful mobile money transfer service. The award winning service has grown from over one million customers in its first year to 15 million 30 day active customers and nearly 80,000 outlets countrywide as at September 2013. The system handles KES 94.8 B of real time payments per month.

In November 2012, Safaricom Limited, ita, pon partnership with Commercial Bank of Africa (CBA) launched M-Shwari, a service which allows M-PESA customers to save money and get micro loans through their mobile phones at competitive market rates. In June 2013, M-PESA launched the Lipa Na M-PESA service enabling customers to pay for goods and services.

Vodafone is working with local partners to provide the M-PESA service in a number of other countries including Egypt, India, Romania and Tanzania.