MoneyGram partners with Airtel Africa for international money transfers

By Pavithra R

MoneyGram International, a global leader in cross-border P2P payments and money transfers, has announced that the company has partnered with Airtel Africa, a leading provider of telecommunications and mobile money services with a presence in 14 countries across Africa.

Under the partnership agreement, Airtel Money’s 19 M customers will now be able to receive MoneyGram transfers directly into their mobile wallets from family and friends around the world. Once the customers receive the funds, they can be accessed immediately and used to pay for goods and services, utility bills, transferred to other individuals, or converted to cash at Airtel Africa’s exclusive branches, kiosks, and agents. The companies are planning to enable the service this year, subject to local regulatory approvals.

“This partnership with Airtel will enable millions of consumers instant access to our global platform to receive money from over 200 countries & territories without having to even step outside. We’re excited about how this customer-centric partnership with Airtel will expand our mobile wallet capabilities, build upon our strong momentum in Africa, and further accelerate our digital growth across the globe,” said John Gely, Head of
MoneyGram Africa.

MoneyGram is a leading remittance provider in Africa, and the collaboration comes on the heels of strategic imperatives of both companies as Airtel focuses on launching international partnerships to connect people to the global economy, expanding the breadth of its offerings, and driving money flows into the continent.

“We are delighted to work with MoneyGram to provide millions of customers with fast, secure and convenient options to receive and send money as well as access their funds from a vast distribution of exclusive kiosks, agents and branches at their convenience. This is a significant step forward in our ambition to transform lives through greater financial inclusion and empowerment across the continent. Maximizing access to global remittances is a key part of this – even more so given the disruption and economic hardship faced by many because of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Raghunath Mandava, CEO of Airtel Africa.

Recently, Standard Chartered & Airtel Africa partnered to drive financial inclusion across Africa.

Established since 1940, MoneyGram International is an American money transfer company providing innovative money transfer and payment services. Its consumer-centric capabilities enable consumers to transact money in more than 200 countries and territories, with over 70 countries now digitally enabled.