Orange Money partnership grows network
VALUE ADDED SERVICES
By BiztechAfrica – Dec. 22, 2011, 2:32 p.m.
By Carole Kimutai, Nairobi, Kenya
Orange Money has expanded its footprint with the opening of mobile money transfer outlets in all Nakumatt Supermarket branches countrywide. This is as a result of a partnership between Telkom Kenya and Pep Intermedius, a financial intermediary with exclusive access to all Nakumatt stores.
During the signing of the partnership, the Chief Executive Officer, Mickael Ghossein, said the decision to partner with Pep Intermedius was informed by the need of making the versatile mobile money solution more accessible to customers.
“We recognise the need to increase accessibility of this e-commerce platform at more convenient locations. By partnering with Pep Intermedius, we shall offer our services in the more than 30 Nakumatt outlets across the country,” he said; adding that these were bound to grow based on Nakumatt’s rapid expansion plan that saw it launch another shopping outlet in Nakuru this week.
Welcoming Orange Money into Nakumatt, the retail giant’s Chief Executive Officer Atul Shah said that partnership was consistent with their desire to make the retail store a one-stop shopping centre. “We are aware that Orange Money recently launched a VISA Debit card to be used with our already robust Point of Sale terminals to ensure that the shopping experience for our customers is enhanced,” said Shah.
Natalie Houben, the Managing Director of Pep Intermedius was upbeat about the signing, citing the unique proposition that will be realised between Telkom Kenya and Pep.
“Orange Money is a dynamic service that is growing more so at a time when e-commerce is gaining currency in the Kenyan market. This coupled with the experience and efficient business model that we employ at Pep will see Orange Money services made accessible to more customers,” she said.
The deal with Pep Intermedius will also see Telkom Kenya cut down on operational costs significantly, while benefiting from the wide network chain provided by financial intermediary. PEP Intermedius Ltd (PEP) has been in the market for the last 7 years with a focus on the expansion of the mobile money market in the country.
