Nine Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) operators have
said they would work together to accelerate the implementation of
interoperable mobile money services across Africa and the Middle East
regions in other to expand financial inclusion.
The operators include Bharti Airtel, Etisalat Group, Millicom, MTN
Group, Ooredoo Group, Orange, STC Group, Vodafone Group and Zain Group.
Collectively, these operators account for 582 million mobile connections
across 48 countries in Africa and the Middle East. The GSM Association
research shows that the number of active mobile money users continues to
grow rapidly, with more than 61 million accounts active as of 2013.
The GSMA’s Mobile Money Interoperability (MMI) programme, a global
programme which also includes mobile network operators from other
regions, focuses on helping them to successfully launch and scale
interoperable mobile money services through identifying and sharing best
practices, guidelines and processes, creating performance benchmarks,
and providing regulatory support.
Anne Bouverot, Director General, GSMA said “We have seen the
significant benefits of mobile financial inclusion in the developing
world and operators recognise that, through collaboration, there are
opportunities to extend this inclusion even further.”
She said mobile network operators are engaging with each other, with
banks, financial institutions regulators, governments and ecosystem
partners, to identify and implement solutions that will successfully
allow more mobile financial services to be delivered to a broader range
of people across both regions, while maintaining high service quality.
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