Blaise Pascal Gasabira (2nd left), CEO of RSwitch officiated the launch event with Airtel Rwanda top managment
Airtel Rwanda has announced the official scrapping of terms and conditions required to be accepted before a customer sends and receives money from another mobile money network.
The announcement was made on December 5, 2024 during a press briefing where Airtel Rwanda also announced bonuses and gifts for its customers who will send and receive money during this Christmas season.
“This is set to redefine interoperability in Rwanda by making cross-network money transfers more seamless than ever before, while rewarding users with free bundles on every transfer (send or receive) made on our e-cash service,” said Jean Claude Gaga, Managing Director of Airtel Money.
Gaga said that the upgrade eliminates the hassle of prior opt-ins or complex steps, setting a new standard for simplicity and efficiency in mobile payments but also a way of implementing the Personal Data Protection law that requires user data to be protected.
“The biggest pain point for users of this service was the steps of terms and conditions which were unnecessary. So we championed that our partner service providers adhere to a single process to allow for a better experience. This came through the end of September and we saw an immediate growth of 21% in value exchanged the following month.
As of now, Rwandans and anyone (in or outside Rwanda) will no longer have to accept or click on the terms and conditions prompted while sending money to another network, as this consent and personal data is already required when one subscribes to any mobile money service in Rwanda.
The Airtel Gifts:
Airtel Rwanda officials said this December 5, 2024 for every transfer a customer on Airtel Money will make to other networks, they shall reward them with a data or voice bundle, without conditions whatsoever.
The gifts and bonuses, which last for 24hours, and one is required to make a Rwf1,000 and above. However, Smartphone users will get a data bundle while feature phone users get voice bundles to call any network for a whole day.
Those customers who will make a Rwf1000 transaction will receive 300MBS (equivalent to Rwf200) and transactions above Rwf75K will get 1GB free, while those without smartphones will get 40 minutes of voice (to call).
How It Works:
- Dial *182*1*2#
- Enter the recipient’s mobile number (other networks)
- Input the amount, confirm with your PIN, and send instantly!
Sample here (*182*1*2*MoMo number*Amount#)
The new marketing campaign entitled WAMENYE WAGUAN?! Has been designed to create awareness about the ease of sending money across all networks in Rwanda.
Emmanuel Hamez said that Airtel Money users can relax as the Byabaye campaign is a full of benefits than losses
Emmanuel Hamez, the Managing Director of Airtel Rwanda said that using this service to transact simply brings more gifts that cannot be compared to the cost of sending and receiving money from another network.
“The cost of sending almost becomes zero when you do the calculations. Therefore, you basically don’t pay any fees but instead get more gifts because the more you send the more you get,” Hamez said.
Hamez stated that since Airtel’s launch of the 4G services on voice, their services will be more reliable without any network hiccups that were reported before.
Indrajeet Singh is Chief Commercial officer of Airtel Rwanda also stated that the telecom company will increase access to agent services for many Rwandans to acquire Airtel money accounts but also encouraged collaboration between networks in delivering this crucial service to the economy.
Airtel Rwanda, a subsidiary of Airtel Africa, is a leading telecommunications provider offering voice, data, mobile money, and value-added services. Driven by innovation and a customer-centric approach, Airtel Rwanda is committed to delivering reliable and affordable connectivity to empower communities across the country.
The Bigger Picture and Significance:
Blaise Pascal Gasabira backed collaborative interoperability initiatives in Rwanda.
This revamp in e-Kash interoperability wouldn’t have been possible without the involvement of technology from RSwitch, and other stakeholders including the regulator- the National Bank of Rwanda (BNR)
RSwitch is Rwanda’s National Payment Switch, which facilitates secure and efficient interoperability across telecoms, banks, and financial institutions.
RSwitch’s infrastructure ensures a unified financial ecosystem, making digital financial services accessible to everyone.
Blaise Pascal Gasabira, CEO of RSwitch, highlighted the importance of this collaboration and emphasized the importance of enhancing interoperability.
“Revamping interoperability via eKash (e-cash) is a critical step in advancing financial inclusion in Rwanda. RSwitch is proud to work with Airtel Money and other partners to ensure seamless, secure, and inclusive digital transactions that benefit every Rwandan. Together, we’re making the future of payments more efficient and accessible,” Gasabira said.
