Mukuru and WorldRemit Partner to Further Expand Remittance Service into Southern Africa

(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Mukuru and WorldRemit today announced a deepening of their existing partnership. Having initially launched the alliance in Zimbabwe, the two companies aim to expand their collaboration for cash remittances into Zambia, South Africa, Mozambique, Malawi and Botswana. This is an important next step in furthering the delivery of world-class services and financial inclusion across the African continent.

The partnership expansion is the latest move by both companies to enhance the delivery of financial services to customers by combining their strengths and leveraging their capabilities and resources.

As a result of the company's deepened collaboration, customers will benefit from guaranteed cash at all times, and there will be no cash-out charges to recipients on cash collections. Until now, customers who received payments into mobile wallets in partnership countries like Zambia would ordinarily pay a cash-out fee when withdrawing cash from a mobile wallet. Now, when a WorldRemit customer sends cash to a recipient in Zambia, and that recipient collects their transfer at a Mukuru booth, the recipient will pay no fee at all.

Since the launch of the partnership in June 2020, WorldRemit customers in over 50 countries – including the United Kingdom, United States, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Europe – have been able to send money to their loved ones in Zimbabwe who are in need of financial resources as the coronavirus pandemic draws out. Beneficiaries can collect their WorldRemit remittance at any of Mukuru’s 150+ orange booths and multiple branches located across Zimbabwe in both rural and peri-urban areas.

The cash pick up service is operational six days a week and customers will not have to endure long queues. They can collect their cash quickly and safely.

Andy Jury, CEO, Mukuru says of the expanded partnership, “This is yet another step in growing our vision of providing our customers with financial services that are easily accessible and convenient. Through this partnership, we have an opportunity to make remittance payments accessible to WorldRemit customers in remote areas through our extended booth network. We also guarantee cash availability at our booths with zero charges to the recipient when they collect their cash, so the recipient receives the full remittance sent to them.”

Pardon Mujakachi, Head of Sub Saharan Africa at WorldRemit commented “The response to our service launch in Zimbabwe was phenomenal, and we are happy to be able to offer our customers in Zambia, South Africa, Mozambique, Malawi and Botswana the same unmatched customer experience providing low cost and convenient access to remittances, no matter the location. As we expand on our partnership, our joint efforts for financial inclusion is creating a positive shift for our customers on the African continent. The WorldRemit service is 100% digital on the send side via the WorldRemit website or mobile app, providing 24/7 access to remittances from 50+ send countries, into over 7,000 Mukuru cash pick-up locations across the five countries we are newly launching.”

About WorldRemit

WorldRemit is a leading global payments company. We disrupted an industry previously dominated by offline legacy players by taking international money transfers online - making them safer, faster and lower-cost. We currently send from 50 to 150 countries, operate in 6,500 money transfer corridors worldwide and employ over 1,100 people globally.

On the sending side WorldRemit is 100% digital (cashless), increasing convenience and enhancing security. For those receiving money, the company offers a wide range of options including bank deposit, cash collection, mobile airtime top-up and mobile money.

Backed by Accel, TCV and Leapfrog – WorldRemit’s headquarters are in London, United Kingdom with regional offices in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, South Africa, Somaliland, Rwanda, Zimbabwe and Belgium.

For more information, visit www.worldremit.com

About Mukuru

Mukuru is an Africa-based FinTech that enables safe, affordable, reliable financial services to underserved communities. With over 30 million cross-border transactions over the last decade, we are one of Africa’s largest remittances-led FinTech’s. Our remittance service offers customers the opportunity to send money to their relatives or friends in over 20 countries across Africa and Asia.

Additionally, we offer critical customer services such as Funeral Cover, The Mukuru Money Card and payment solutions for businesses in emerging markets.

For more information, visit https://www.mukuru.com/sa/

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