International money transfer operator Sasai Money Transfer has announced that it has partnered with Airtel Money, the payments division of operator Airtel, to expand what it describes as its revolutionary offer of free remittances to more African markets, this time targeting Uganda.
The Zero Fee initiative was first launched in May 2024 by Sasai Money Transfer in partnership with Econet in Zimbabwe. It is now being expanded with Airtel Money, starting with Uganda before being extended to other high-traffic remittance Airtel markets such as Ghana, Malawi, Nigeria, Kenya and Zambia.
This offering eliminates remittance sending fees for users of the Sasai Money Transfer service in the United Kingdom and South Africa sending money to family and friends in Uganda. The partnership with Airtel Money Uganda ensures that the recipient also enjoys similar benefits by cashing out their funds for free from their Airtel Money wallet.
As the partners explain, in the African context informal remittances are still prevalent, by and large exceeding the volume of formal remittances flowing through official channels. This can be a risk for African migrants who may find themselves dealing with unscrupulous intermediaries.
Sasai says it is leading the charge of digitising and formalising remittances, and making the services more accessible and affordable for all Africans.
Also this week Ecobank Uganda Limited, part of the Ecobank pan-African banking conglomerate, has said that it has formed a strategic partnership with Ria Money Transfer, a leader in cross-border remittance services. This partnership will significantly improve remittance options across Uganda, allowing customers to receive funds directly into their Ecobank accounts.
Both account holders and non-account holders will also have the option to collect cash transfers promptly at any Ecobank branch or through the bank’s wide sub-agent network across the country.
Remittances services is clearly seen as a promising market in Uganda. MTN Mobile Money (MoMo) Uganda certainly seems to think so. A month ago, it kicked off its International Remittances Campaign, which promised to reward over 100 lucky winners with round-trip air tickets aboard Uganda Airlines.
This campaign encourages customers to utilise MTN MoMo’s authorised partners to ensure that their loved ones around the world receive funds quickly, safely, and conveniently.
