Electronic transfers via mobile money accounts for 93 per
cent of WorldRemit latest transactions to Kenya showed that Kenyans have continued
to be early adopters of innovative technology, even when abroad, reports ITRealms.
Revealing this on the sideline of the 10th anniversary of
ground-breaking mobile money service M-PESA, WorldRemit in newly released data indicated
that the Kenyan diaspora is the biggest sender of digital remittances to mobile
accounts.
Mobile money has played a key role in the growth of
WorldRemit’s Kenyan customer base, attracted by the low price, speed and
convenience of sending instant remittances from the app or website directly to
a mobile phone in Kenya.
In January 2017, WorldRemit customers transferred more than
$140m (at annualised rate) to Kenya, making WorldRemit one of the largest
remittance companies serving the Kenyan diaspora.
Top remittance-sending countries are the UK, Australia, US,
Germany, Canada and Nordic countries.
Around three million Kenyans live abroad, with large
communities in North America, Europe and Australia.
Remittances play an important role in Kenya’s economy –
inward remittances reached a record value of just under $161m in November 2016,
according to the Central Bank of Kenya, making it one of the nation’s top
earners.
WorldRemit is now connected to over a fifth of all mobile
money accounts - 112 million of 500 million mobile money accounts around the
world.
74% of all international remittances to mobile money
accounts coming from money transfer operators are sent via WorldRemit.
The company has pioneered mobile to mobile remittances,
sending to 32 mobile money services in 24 countries - more than any other money
transfer service.
Globally, WorldRemit customers send more than 580,000
transfers every month to over 140 destinations. WorldRemit makes sending money
as easy as sending an instant message.
Ismail Ahmed, Founder and CEO at WorldRemit, comments:
“Kenya is famed for leading Africa’s digital transformation, and today it’s
Kenyans abroad who are at the forefront of digitising international money
transfers. Most of our Kenyan customers use our mobile app, demonstrating the
strong demand for convenience when sending to friends and family.
“With half a billion registered accounts worldwide, mobile
money continues to transform lives by allowing people to access financial
services for the first time. WorldRemit customers now send more than 65,000
transfers to the country every month from the WorldRemit app and website with
over 90% going to M-PESA”.
No comments:
Post a Comment