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Airtel Money a fast, simple, secure mobile commerce service |18 May 2015



Airtel Seychelles has unveiled another world class technology – a fast, simple and secure mobile commerce service that will allow its users to load cash on their mobile devices, top up their airtime, pay utility bills, shop at a variety of merchant outlets and carry out mobile banking.

The new service is called ‘Airtel Money’ and the telecommunication company officially launched it last Friday night at the Savoy Seychelles Resort & Spa in the presence of Vice-President Danny Faure. The event coincided with the first Information and Telecommunications Technology (ICT) week in Seychelles being celebrated under the theme ‘Telecommunications and ICTs: Drivers of Innovation’. Mr Faure is also the minister responsible for ICT.

Also present at the launch were ministers, the leader of the opposition in the National Assembly, David Pierre, members of the diplomatic corps, chief executive officers and other distinguished guests and staff of Airtel Seychelles.

“Today’s launch is a major milestone not only for Airtel but for Seychelles as well.  What today’s event means is that Airtel has been at the forefront of telecom revolution and has set the technology trends by aligning with global standards,” said Airtel Seychelles managing director Amadou Dinah.

He said the launch of ‘Airtel Money’ came after the company was the first to launch other mobile services like prepaid products, 3G, 3.75G and 4G.
“This service will see a massive growth in business over mobile services in the country,” added Mr Dinah.

He also had words of thanks for all stakeholders involved in the project like the government of Seychelles through the Ministry of Finance, Trade and the Blue Economy, the Central Bank which has been the regulator and facilitator of the project and the department of information communications and technology (DICT) which made the launch possible.

On behalf of the Seychelles government, Vice-President Faure congratulated Airtel Seychelles for continuing to invest in the ICT sector in order to meet the needs of its customers.

“Mobile money is indeed an ICT driven innovation that has revolutionised the lives of millions of people worldwide, who have never had access to conventional banking services, by allowing them to make use of their mobile phones to transfer money, make payments and access financial services,” said VP Faure.



The launch of mobile money, he said, is very significant to the government in view of the country’s determination to ensure financial inclusion of as many Seychellois as possible. It is also aligned to the drive by the Central Bank of Seychelles to promote electronic channels of payments and their processing.

He cited some of the main services offered by mobile money saying the government welcomes such innovation and investment, since they allow the country to improve its competitiveness both regionally and internationally.

Since mobile money services involve both the telecommunication and financial services, the Central Bank of Seychelles has worked in close collaboration with DICT to put in place the necessary regulatory framework to establish a level playing field for operators in both the financial services and mobile telecommunications sectors to protect the consumers.

Jenifer Sullivan, second deputy governor of the Central Bank of Seychelles, said “while this development will positively impact on the visibility of the Airtel brand on the market, it is also in tandem with the Central Bank of Seychelles policy to modernise the country’s payment system since it allows for the adoption of innovative technological platforms to expand access to financial services.”

She noted that the steps being taken by the Central Bank of Seychelles and the private sector to enhance the national payment system and bring forth innovative payment facilities are a welcome development for the country’s economy since customers will find improved ease of transacting and of doing business.

Navneet Singh Mehta, director of Airtel Money and Prepaid Services, then explained how the process works. There was also a demonstration by ‘Mr Money’, the cartoon character advertising the service.

Customers only have to ‘Dial *400# on their mobile to get started after they have registered for the service at Airtel Seychelles.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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