Tigo subscribers in Tanzania will now be able to send money from their Tigo Pesa accounts to Tigo Cash subscribers in Rwanda and vice versa in a new service that will see Tigo automatically convert between Tanzanian Shillings and Rwandan Francs and has been launched simultaneously in both countries’ capitals namely Dar-es-Salaam and Kigali respectively depending on whatever country one is in.
This is the first product of its kind that allows dual currency international mobile wallet to mobile wallet transfers with currency conversion included in the world as observed by Tigo Tanzania General Manager Diego Gutierrez.
Cash sent to and fro can be used for many Tigo services including airtime top ups, utility payments like water, electricity, Pay TV and transportation, interbank and cross-account transfers as well. One is also able to do cash withdrawals at any Tigo agent across the country, and transfer money to other mobile money users.
HOW TO DO IT:
To send money from Tanzania’s Tigo Pesa to Rwanda’s Tigo Cash users, customers should dial *150*90# while those in Rwanda remitting to Tanzania should dial *200*7# and the recipient will receive their money immediately in their resident country’s currency.
Registration is free of charge and users willing to register for Tigo Pesa or Tigo Cash need only visit any agent in Tanzania or Rwanda respectively and register using their ID card or document.
“This new product will save customers’ time and money. International senders currently have to go to a money changer to exchange Rwanda Francs to dollars and then bring those dollars to remittance companies to send. They can now send money directly from their phone. We are delighted to give our customers the possibilities to make payments to fellow East Africans. Thanks to a stable and state-of-the-art technology, users in Rwanda are able to send money to their families, friends and to their business partners across the border alike.” commented Mr. Gutierrez.
Tongai Maramba, the General Manager of Tigo Rwanda said: “We are pleased to offer Tigo Cash customers the ability to send and receive international transfers directly via their phones. It is an added convenience that they can receive directly as Rwandan Francs because the traditional money transfer companies mostly deliver only dollars. This product enables consumers not to worry about exchanging money.”
This new service will particularly benefit businesses with cross-border trade, diaspora families, truck drivers, importers and exporters from both countries especially since Tanzania is Rwanda’s second most important trading partner.
In 2013 alone, Rwanda imports from Tanzania amounted to 80,883,702 US dollars while Tanzania received imports valued at 231,695,265 US dollars from Rwanda.
Check out the launch video below courtesy of Kigali Hits dot com
