eTranzact’s PocketMoni Nominated for AfricaCom, Lead Africa Awards

PocketMoni, eTranzact International Plc’s flagship has beaten off stiff competition to be nominated in the best mobile money service category of the AfricaCom awards and Lead Africa Awards 2014.

eTranzact is Africa’s leading provider of mobile banking and payments services. Its effort in mobile began in 2003 long before mobile money was finally introduced in Nigeria.

According to Mr Ayo Oladimeji, Head of PocketMoni at eTranzact, “The team always believed that mobile would be at the forefront of payment innovation and had a dedicated team working on research and development. This led to pioneering research that kick-started the mobile banking sector in Nigeria and eventually birthed “PocketMoni”, the mobile money service”.

He added that the company’s partnership with the two biggest international remittance organisations enables users to receive international payments on their mobile devices.

“Also, a version of the product called "PocketMoni Global" has been developed to work in over 50 countries and allows airtime recharge, money and bank transfers in those countries.

“Key to adoption of the product has been the number of platforms available for users to carry out transactions. Users can use the USSD/IVR, and Smartphone Apps across all app platforms. Users also get prepaid and debit cards that allows them carry out transactions on ATMs and online,” he added.

A statement from the organizers of the AfricaCom awards read, “We are delighted to announce that eTranzact have fought off stiff competition to be shortlisted in the Best Mobile Money Solution Category with their PocketMoni Mobile Money Service at the Africa Com Awards.”

The AfricaCom Awards which celebrates breakthroughs and influential players shaping the digital technology, media, telecommunications and ICT industry, will be holding on the 12th of November 2014 in Cape Town, South Africa.

“eTranzact’s PocketMoni is a mobile payment solution designed to allow users conduct financial transactions anytime, anywhere, from their phone.

“With PocketMoni, your phone is now your bank and your mobile phone number becomes your account. Informa ,organizers of the AfricaCom Awards 2014,look forward to welcoming eTranzact to the awards ceremony and celebrating the achievements of the African Mobile Money Industry and greater the African Telecoms community,” the Organizers said.

Oladimeji also defined the nomination as “… a big honour for us to be nominated in such a prestigious category at the AfricaCom Awards 2014. eTranzact has been in operations since 2003, and early enough our CEO, Mr Valentine Obi who many describe as the Father of Mobile Payments in Nigeria, understood the importance of leveraging technology to make payments easy.

“This led to many of the innovative offerings that eTranzact has come up with over the years.At various times, we had gone to the Central Bank with several electronic payment initiatives, but the state of technology at that time slowed down the kick off of those initiatives, but with improved technology and the attentiveness of the Federal Government and CBN, today the cashless policy is becoming a reality. We believe this is only the beginning and look forward to achieving more greatness with our mobile money service”.

The Lead Africa Awards ceremony will be held in October in Lagos, while the AfricaCom awards ceremony will be held at a strictly by invitation event in Cape Town on November 12th, 2014.