Vodafone and MoneyGram, a money transfer and global payment services company, have teamed up to enable consumers to transfer funds directly from around 200 countries to the millions of users of M-Pesa.<\/p>\n
This service will be launched in key markets during the second quarter of 2014, with additional roll-out planned throughout the remainder of the year.<\/p>\n
The agreement will allow consumers who visit MoneyGram\u2019s 334,000 agents across the globe to send funds directly to M-Pesa accounts.<\/p>\n
MoneyGram customers can also transfer money to an M-Pesa user through moneygram.com or via a mobile app, available on iPhone, Android and Windows 8 phones.<\/p>\n
M-Pesa is now available in the following countries \u2013 the Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Fiji, India, Kenya, Lesotho, Mozambique, South Africa and Tanzania.<\/p>\n
Additional markets are due to launch M-Pesa during 2014, Vodafone said.<\/p>\n
Developed by Vodafone, M-Pesa had nearly 16 million active customers as at 30 September 2013 and approximately 165,000 authorised agents worldwide.<\/p>\n
A customer can buy airtime and pay for bills, such as electricity and water as well as groceries.<\/p>\n
Vodafone\u2019s $40 billion acquisition purse<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n